RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — WPTV is listening to a Palm Beach County mother that's seeking solutions after she claims her child, a 7th-grade student from John F. Kennedy Middle, was attacked by another student on campus.
Jairishiela Gomez says the altercations go back to Aug. 22. Gomez claims she was told by the assistant principal they would push for mediation for her son and the other student who were not getting along — which did not happen.
A week later on Aug. 29, Gomez says her son was attacked by the student while walking down the stairwell.
"I didn’t have any words," stated Gomez. "There’s no way, I mean. Seeing your son go through something like that. What parent wants their child to go through this?”
Gomez noticed her son was acting differently and was visibly hurt after arriving home. Gomez says her son told her he was beat up by another student and she was not notified by the school.
Hours later, she received footage of the brawl, by another parent. “I saw the video and I was like, this is terrible,” stated Gomez.
According to Gomez, the assistant principal addressed the altercation days later on Sept. 3. She was notified that the other student was suspended for a week.
“He broke his braces. He punched him 15 plus times, kicked him in the head once, threw him down a flight of stairs into the concrete,” shared Gomez.
A Palm Beach County mother is seeking answers after she claims her son was attacked by another student at John F. Kennedy Middle. pic.twitter.com/rpYN58RfCo
— Zitlali Solache (@zitlalisolache) September 11, 2024
WPTV Reporter Zitlali Solache spoke with Gomez’s son, who says the fight began after the other student pulled his school ID from his neck. Gomez adds her son has ADHD and this is not the first time he has been bullied.
“I just need answers because there’s no way that this can continue to happen," said Gomez. "My son can’t even sleep.”
The school district sent a statement addressing the altercation:
“This matter is under investigation. The school district is committed to ensuring a safe learning and working environment for all students and staff, including having a school counselor and behavioral health professional available to students on every campus. Students who violate the district’s student code of conduct policy are subject to disciplinary action for any infraction that poses a threat to school safety.”
Gomez has removed her child from John F. Kennedy Middle and has started a GoFundMe to seek therapy sessions for her son.
