Rockaway Township Schools Deny Mallory Grossman Bullying Allegations

Last year, 12-year-old Mallory Grossman committed suicide after allegedly being bullied for months. Now, Rockaway Township School District denies the allegations described in a lawsuit filed by Mallory's parents they say that her death was caused by factors outside of the school's control. 

The lawsuit, filed earlier this summer, alleged Copeland Middle School improperly addressed the bullying Mallory suffered. The alleged bullying included Mallory being targeted at lunch, being told to kill herself and having her choir class chair kicked by a group of girls.

According to Long Valley Patch, the school said they don't have enough information to "form a belief of the truth" regarding the specific allegations but they did deny that Mallory was called "ugly," "fat," or a "rich white girl."  

The school also denied the Grossmans' version of a meeting that took place on the day Mallory committed suicide. The suit states that Mallory and her parents had a meeting with the principal, vice principal, and a guidance counselor and she spoke to the superintendent over the phone. It also says that the principal, Alfonso Gonnella gave Mallory a poker chip and had her write her name and initials on it before asking her if she was "all in." At the end of the meeting Gonnella allegedly told the Grossmans that school was an unsafe place for Mallory and to take her home for the day. 

Dianne Grossman, Mallory's mother, said there's one part of the meeting that the school can't rebut. 

"You can’t deny the poker chip. You are lying. I am holding it.”

Read the Long Valley Patch story here.

Sarah the Web Girl


Content Goes Here