Stand up for Emilie,13 year old child who commited suicide as a result of unrelenting bullying

In December 2014, 13-yr-old Emilie committed suicide due to the pain and isolation of unchecked bullying at her school. We demand the school be held responsible for her death as well as implementing policies to prevent other students meeting the same fate.

The bullying began in 5th grade and continued through 6th grade.  Emilie was subjected to physical and emotional abuse in school.  Examples included racial slurs, homophobic attacks on her perceived sexual orientation, and physical attacks including battery, slapping, tripping and being thrown into lockers. One classmate caught Emilie in the bathroom and gave her a razor ordering her to kill herself. A fake Instagram site was created belittling Emilie's perceived sexual orientation. Emilie was isolated and barraged with hate at school and by text and email including threats of violence and demands that she kill herself.

Emilie and her parents went to school authorities and repeatedly asked for help and intervention with identified offenders. They were refused help every time. No incident reports were written on the offending students, and no disciplinary actions were taken. Even Emilie's friends reported the abuse to authorities to no avail.  When Emilie was placed in a study pod with several of the students who bullied her, the principal Lincoln Butts ignored her and her parents' pleas to be moved to another pod. Instead, she was told to try and adjust and that it was too much trouble for the school to move her.  This is a short version of what Emilie endured.

Emilie was a beautiful child who got straight A's and loved horses.  She was adopted at nine months from China by her parents Marc and Cindy. Emilie was described as "having an extremely sweet spirit". Her young life ended tragically due to her school's unwillingness to protect her from physical and emotional bullying for over two years.

Emilie went into a downward spiral of low grades, inability to perform at school, isolation, and cutting. Emilie's precious life so full of potential was ended by unrelenting bullying and school authorities who failed to act to protect her. Two other children at this school also attempted suicide because of bullying. 

• We demand that Fairfield Intermediate and Middle School authorities be held accountable for following their codes against racial and sexual discrimination and violence against students.  

• We demand that the school authorities and teachers report bullying to parents of the victim and the offenders. We demand that these incidents are documented, and parents be provided with the documentation.  

• The school must provide emotional support and counseling for the victim and counseling for the offenders. Offenders must receive interventions and disciplinary consequences for each incident.  

• The school must educate staff and students about bullying and the destructive consequences as well as legal consequences.

• The school must report violence to police authorities and parents.  

• The school board must be notified of repeated incidents of bullying and be responsive to parents' concerns.

Emilie's parents have filed a lawsuit against the school in US District Court, Southern District of Ohio.

Case No. 1:15-00787.  This lawsuit is available to read on the internet. It is heartbreaking and raises consciousness about bullying and the innocent victims.  

There is a Facebook site "Shame on Fairview Schools" which is from an NGO fighting for justice for Emilie. They give updates on the local activity to hold schools accountable. There is also a website Justice for Emilie. Clearly many people are furious over the continuing bullying which is taking the lives of children all over the U.S.