In what's being hailed as a landmark case by civil rights groups, the mother of a gay teenager who hanged himself last September is suing a school district for wrongful death, claiming that they were aware of her son being bullied and did nothing to stop or prevent it. Wendy Walsh, mother of Bakersfield 13-year-old Seth Walsh is claiming that the death of her son was a direct result of the school's negligence, and both his suicide note and a recent investigation by the U.S. Department of Education and the DOJ appear to confirm this.
Seth Walsh's suicide note, which you can read here, included the admonition, "make sure to make the school feel like shit for bringing you this sorrow." It seems Wendy is only trying to fulfill his wishes.
As the Bakersfield Californian reports, Walsh is seeking compensation for wrongful death damages, medical expenses and punitive damages. The suit names as defendants the superintendent of the district, the principal and vice-principal of the school, and several teachers.
Though the Tehachapi Unified School District disagreed with the findings of the federal investigation, they signed off on an agreement to make changes in the school to eliminate the hostile environment for gender- and sexual-based harassment. They're beginning training programs for teachers and staff, revising school policies, and surveying their campuses.
