A New Jersey woman is accusing the Carlstadt-East Rutherford Regional school district of allowing her 16-year-old son with cancer to be bullied and beaten by a fellow student.
Her son, who was undergoing radiation treatment for cancer when he entered Henry P. Becton Regional High School last fall, was even called "cancer boy," according to his mom, Julia Morales.
With the help of a group called Drums and Disabilities, Morales is seeking a criminal and civil rights investigation against several school officials, as well as State Education Commissioner David Hespe, who she claims ignored her pleas for help.
Morales said she even reached out to Gov. Chris Christie's office seeking help for her child.
A detailed record of her charges includes psychiatric visits for her boy to Hackensack University Medical Center that notes he had developed anxiety and panic attacks and recommended his transfer to another school.
In a statement, school board attorney Marc Zitomer said, "As I am sure you are aware, there is very little we can say about confidential pupil matters. However, I can say that the Administration responded appropriately and in strict compliance with the law in how it dealt with the matter."
