Triantafillos Parlapanide: School superintendent spotted during walk of shame after Adriana Kuch protesters suspended
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers' discretion advised. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
BERKELEY, NEW JERSEY: Following the tragic suicide death of Adriana Kuch, a 14-year-old girl who was subject to vicious bullying by her peers, hundreds of students took to the streets to protest and mourn her loss. Whilst students at New Jersey's Central Regional School District are dismayed by Superintendent Triantafillos Parlapanides's insensitivity to Kuch's death after she committed suicide on February 3, two days after a viral video circulated of the girl being brutally beaten in the school hallway.
Parlapanides's heartless smear campaign against Kuch to steer blame away from the administration said she'd been offered counseling "for drugs." The insensitive statement by the school's Superintendent wiped off the colors of the grief-stricken students' faces. Students and parents protesting outside the school cited the situation as "a shocking lack of sensitivity" and action from the "administration who swore to protect" them. However, the student's mere attempt to raise awareness also comes with risk after the school claimed to suspend people if they protest.
READ MORE
Adriana Kuch bullying, heartbreaking petition highlights violent trend at Central Regional
Internet wants identities of Adriana Kuch's bullies revealed, but penalties loom
coverage of the walkout earlier today in protest of the schools response, or lack thereof, to bullying. This follows the tragic suicide death of 14 year old student of Central Regional High School after being jumped by several other students. pic.twitter.com/U2DEQ6ZJ88
— Jenn lynn (@djjorden726) February 10, 2023
Is Central Regional School District suspending students for protesting?
Luca Canzoneri, 15, a friend of Kuch says it is devasting to watch the lack of action from the school he attends. "We're trying to raise awareness because it's taken her death to bring to light the severity of the bullying going on in central and how their not doing anything at all," he said. "The [administration] has been making fun of us for protesting," reported Daily Mail. He claimed, "The school is suspending people if they protest, there was a protest yesterday with less people than today, but they all got suspended."
It is unclear how many students have been suspended following the protests. Danielle Ledesma said she did not know Kuch but was aware of the school's systemic bullying and lack of action. Danielle holding a sign that reads "I doubt that" said, "My sign is the response from the superintendent when my friend said that she got sexually assaulted in Central Regional high school." Danielle added, she has been "severely bullied throughout my entire life," culminating in "having panic attacks in the school on a daily basis" because of the school's failure to take action.
'Teachers can be bullies too!'
"It got to the point where I now have all of these meltdowns, all of these crying fits, panic attacks, whatever it may be more than 5-6 times a day every single time that I have one at the school they do absolutely nothing," she said. "We're all out here losing our voices so Adriana does not lose hers." Jennifer O parent of a student with whom Kuch used to hang out at their place said staff members were "equally to blame" for incidents of bullying.
Our house is one of those houses where the kids like to come and hang out and Kuch had been at my place just a week before she died," said Jennifer. She claimed if she had known Kuch was having such a hard time adding teachers were equally to blame for the bullying. "I think back to her being there and wish I had known so I could have hugged her or told her that it was going to be ok and I was there for her." "Teacher's can be bullies too at that school and they're equally to blame."