Adriana Kuch: Students of NJ school reveal vile bullying culture as officials did 'nothing' to help
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
BAYVILLE, NEW JERSEY: Students who went to school with the late Adriana Kuch, 14, reported that bullying was part of everyday school life. Numerous allegations by students and parents over the years have shown that the administration at Central Regional High School in Berkeley Township, New Jersey, has been appallingly inactive.
Although the community is heartbroken that an innocent student had to give his life to highlight the disturbing bullying culture at the school, they are appalled by the school's inaction and insensitive response as they process Kuch's death. The 14-year-old committed suicide two days after a video surfaced on the Internet showing her being beaten by classmates in the school hallway on February 1. Numerous allegations, including from former students, all have one thing in common: they claim the school "didn't do anything about it"
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‘Embarrassed’ Adriana Kuch, 14, got taunting texts from her bullies a day before she killed herself
'You could get jumped very easily'
"It was absolutely terrible and it was unbelievable that they didn't do anything about it," Adriana's former classmate Emily Strick told Fox News on Monday. She claimed the bullying was so bad, that Emily was "terrified" to go to school. "I didn't go to school for a full week because in Central you could get jumped very easily. I didn't want to go. I was terrified. There were rumors and everything you can imagine. I'm not sure if the bullies got punished, but I'm pretty sure they did not," reported Daily Mail. Despite Emily's mother Jo Siclari alerting the school, district, and even the police no actions have ever been taken.
"I went to the school and went to the police and file reports. I wrote letters to the Board of Education and the superintendent. I sent everything certified actually, at the advice of Diane Grossman, who created Mallory's Law after her daughter committed suicide, and I got no response," Siclari said. "It makes me very angry. I mean, sending our children to school every day should not be a liability, and they're the people that are there. We're not there as parents, so we expect them to be our stand-ins when they have our children in the building."
'The school did nothing!'
Rachael O'Dea whose daughter was also brutally bullied including attacks that were recorded and sent across the internet, claimed the school did "nothing." Her daughter was "jumped and physically assaulted by multiple girls at Central Regional." Rachael's daughter had reported threats and their previous stalking to the school weeks before it happened and nothing was done!' Later the family sued the school "due to their negligence and involvement."
Trisha Tucker whose daughter was an honor roll student claims she does not want to go to school anymore because of the intolerable bullies. "My daughter was being bullied from September/October and I'd been to the freshman principal numerous times told me that it was being handled, my daughter went from being an honor role student to dropping out of marching band to failing her classes and not even wanting to go to school," she said. "Now she's cutting herself so yeah they don't do a damn thing they don't care about these kids they're going to sweep it under the rug so they aren't embarrassed."
'A kid is gone because nobody did anything!'
Amanda Ramirez, mother of Nevaeh Alvarez Ramirez, who was also part of the protest claimed she supports the children. "I 100 percent support her it's just hard to watch these kids hurting they just want to be heard." At the same time, she expressed her disbelief at the school's negligence over Kuch's tragic death. "It was just like swept under the rug they talk about how 'oh if you're fighting there will be consequences' but a kid is gone because nobody did anything," she said.
"The fact that she was beat up on school premises, she blacked out, that her parents weren't called, that an ambulance wasn't called… a kid blacked out that is a medical emergency." "Her hair was ripped out and on the floor like it's just disgusting and I hurt because I have a lot of respect for teachers there, but hearing that some of them saying it 'wasn't a big deal' that's, uh, a lot it's just mental health is so serious."
Even reviews of Central Regional High School dating back six years show former students complaining about schools' constant bullying and harassment environment. One student wrote in a Google Review that the school was "horrible," claiming they were constantly bullied and no one tried to stop it no matter what." Moreover, the district released a statement stating they will be evaluation all current and past allegations of bullying. They will be undergoing an independent assessment of their anti-bullying policies.