POMPANO BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida mother is fuming after finding out a student took a picture of her daughter in a bathroom stall before sharing it on social media, and the family said the school made it even worse.
The mother, Mary, was outraged because the bathroom is supposed to be a private place, but instead, her 12-year-old daughter said she was exposed and then harassed and bullied after the picture taken of her was shared on social media.
Mary said the school didn’t notify her of the incident for weeks.
The photograph, taken at Pompano Beach Middle School, shows the girl on the toilet. On the picture, it said, “One of the ESE kids eating in the bathroom.”
“I was trying to use the bathroom, and then I saw her feet under the stall,” the girl said. “She called my name, and then I looked up, and then I saw her with her phone over the stall.”
The student said she felt violated and angry. “I told her to delete it, and she deleted it off the [social media] story but she saved it to her gallery.”
That student saved the picture and then shared it on social media. That’s when the 12-year-old told her school counselor.
“Requested. ‘I want to call my mom.’ And she said, ‘I’ll call your mom.’ She did not call me,” Mary said.
The incident happened two weeks ago.
Mary said she noticed her daughter acting strange and was isolating herself. She then got her daughter to tell her what happened.
“Her whole natural behind is showing,” Mary said. “She had the audacity to post it on social media for everybody and anybody to see. She referred to my child as ESE, so she’s basically saying that my child is slow. I was enraged.”
The student who took the picture was suspended, but Mary is upset because the middle school did not contact her.
“I don’t think suspension is good enough,” Mary said.
On Monday, Mary went to the school to speak with the principal. “What I heard was just like, ‘We’re sorry.’ You know, ‘We dropped the ball,'” Mary said.
Then, after she left the school, Mary went to the Broward County School Board because she still wanted answers. “I asked to speak to an assistant superintendent, and I was told that I couldn’t speak to them,” Mary said.
“It is so inappropriate, and the child who took the picture was so out of line,” said Janet Ward, president of Parent’s Information & Resource Center.
Ward has worked with children for over 30 years, and said parents need to get involved, especially if their children have cellphones.
“Parents need to take the time to educate their child that this is a responsibility,” Ward said.
Mary also said it’s up to the parents to teach. “Parents need to understand that this is not a game, this is not a joke,” Mary said.
The Broward County School Board released a statement that reads in part, “The school’s principal confirmed staff did not follow proper protocols for parent notification during the handling of this incident.”
The principal has since met with staff to address the issue and review proper procedures and protocols for parent notification.
Mary said she plans to press charges against the student who took and posted the picture.
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