LI Schools Didn't Didn't Stop Boy's Bullying 'Nightmare,' Lawsuit Says

SMITHTOWN, NY — A Smithtown mother sued the Smithtown Central School District over claims the district did not protect her 15-year-old son from years of severe bullying over his gender identity, according to multiple outlets that obtained the lawsuit.

In the lawsuit filed in federal court in Central Islip Monday, Diane Coppola said her son Michael endured a "living nightmare" of physical abuse, death threats, and homophobic taunts because of his sexuality and gender identity. The lawsuit says the situation caused serious damage to his mental health and academic performance from fourth through ninth grade, Newsday reported.

During those years, Coppola said she kept a detailed account of more than three dozen alleged incidents of bullying, harassment, and discrimination. The lawsuit says she repeatedly expressed her concerns with school officials, including in a legal demand letter requesting that the bullying be addressed.

Among the instances of bullying and harassment Michael allegedly faced were students pushing and shoving him, tampering with his food, hurling homophobic profanities at him, threatening to hurt and kill him, and creating an "I hate Michael" club, according to NBC News.

After the school confirmed multiple allegations were true, one of the offenders was disciplined and the school assigned a full-time aide to monitor his behavior, NBC News reported in 2022.

But the bullying continued, Coppola said, adding that at one point, Mt. Pleasant Elementary School's principal Joseph Ierano told her and her husband that "not everyone is going to be nice to your son," and that Michael "has to learn how to deal with that, and he has you to support him," according to NBC News.

"Despite being aware of Michael’s treatment at school, administrators failed to adequately respond to these incidents or create a viable plan that ensured Michael’s safety," lawyers for the Coppola family said in a news release Monday. "In fact, the complaint alleges that some of Michael’s own teachers made inappropriate comments about Michael’s gender presentation. Instead of fostering Michael’s interest in the arts, his teachers actively discouraged him from auditioning for certain parts and failed to nominate him for nationwide competitions despite his exceptional talent."

Eventually, after Michael had transferred schools multiple times with no improvement, the Coppolas pulled him from the school district.

According to Coppola, Michael has been diagnosed with and takes medication for an anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder and has developed an eating disorder following his years of torment at school, NBC News reported.

"We have lost six years of Michael’s young life, spending all our time and resources to get Smithtown administrators to take Michael’s bullying seriously and picking up the pieces to keep him whole," Diane Coppola added in the news release. "The damage has left my son, who was once a very social and vibrant spirit, struggling daily to find some happiness. The scars from his experience at Smithtown Central School District will forever be a part of his life."

Monday's lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, citing allegations of unlawful discrimination, negligence, and violations of New York's Human Rights and Civil Rights laws, Newsday reported.

"Smithtown Central School District and its teachers had a duty to investigate and remedy the severe bullying Michael experienced there," David Lebowitz of Kaufman Lieb Lebowitz & Frick LLP said in the news release. "Their callous disregard of repeated instances of assault and harassment at the hands of other students and staff amounts to a violation of Title IX and state and local laws. Smithtown failed at every level to protect this child."

A representative for Smithtown Central Schools said the district does not comment on matters pertaining to litigation.