Recently, Niagara Action began publishing a series of stories illustrating a culture of bullying, assaults, and harassment at North Tonawanda City Schools.
Click Headlines to Read Prior Stories
North Tonawanda Schools Face Backlash Over Failure to Protect Students from Bullying
A Culture of Unreported Violence: North Tonawanda Schools Part 1 (videos of physical altercations included)
Former Assistant Principal Rachel Ross Protects Bullies: North Tonawanda Schools Part 2 (audio recording of Ross yelling at student included)
Student Beaten after Principal Rowles Fails to Act: North Tonawanda Schools Part 3 (video of physical altercation included)
Special Education Student Locked in Bathroom and Beaten: North Tonawanda Schools Part 4
Assault Victim Punished Instead of Bully: North Tonawanda Schools Part 5
Victim of Explicit Photo Dissemination Suspended: North Tonawanda Schools Part 6
Special Education Student Bullied by Teachers: North Tonawanda Schools Part 7
Gym Teacher Ryan Mountain Watching Girls Change: North Tonawanda Schools Part 8
Assistant Principal Rachel Wagner Witnesses Assault and Does Nothing: North Tonawanda Schools Part 9
Weaponizing Child Protective Services: North Tonawanda Schools Part 10
After the articles circulated throughout the community, several parents, current and former students submitted their experiences via email to us. Their stories amounted to a simple conclusion: there is a refusal to protect students in North Tonawanda.
This series is based on a combination of first-hand narratives and investigative reporting. Narratives/allegations from those who experienced it will be posted without any redaction and/or modifications. That is their truth, and we are not here to take that away from them. We do not post them as fact, but rather as what these individuals experienced.
If you would like to share your own experience with North Tonawanda Schools and any of the issues raised throughout this article, please email us at niagaraaction@gmail.com.
Former North Tonawanda Principal James Fisher Fails to Protect a Homosexual Student After he Received a Death Threat at School
My son Michael was barely 13-years-old when he realized he was different. I now realize, all these years later, the courage it took for him to share his secret with me.
Overnight, Michael went from academic to survival mode, which is a common response to the harassment, intimidation, and bullying of GLBTQ youth in education. With no appropriate support or proper control procedures in the school setting to prevent the harassment, intimidation, and bullying of Michael, the child I knew was gone.
Michael was thoughtful, happy and filled with life. He loved music and was a keyboard, saxophone and piano player. He participated in the arts as a talented actor. He was involved in school clubs. He was gifted vocally and selected for All County Music Voice 2002. He was tested at an IQ of 130 before 8th grade.
This all disappeared and left an angry child. Bullying left him depressed, anxious and having lost his love for life. Bullying resulted in him contemplating self-harm.
I removed Michael from North Tonawanda High School on October 12th, 2005, after he discovered a written death threat in his day planner. We met with Principal James Fisher regarding the death threat, but nothing was done. No one was held accountable.
Sadly, this was not the first time Michael was subject to violence. No matter how many telephone conversations I had with various administrators and teachers, including Principal Fisher, the harassment, intimidation, and bullying against Michael was only escalating.
Listening to Principal Fisher perceive my child as the "problem" for having received a death threat was infuriating. Michael’s tears as he was told by Principal Fisher that his sexual orientation was the issue was more than I could tolerate.
Principal Fisher refused to file a report with the North Tonawanda Police Department, which was actually required by NYS Education Law and CNTSD Board of Education Policies and Procedures. He declined to do so even after I pointed out his obligation to do so.
I filed a complaint of aggravated harassment with the Police Department after the close of school that day. The following day I notified Principal Fisher that Michael would not be returned to school until an investigation was completed to my satisfaction by both the high school administration and the Police Department.
No such investigation was done. After this time, there were several falsely reported CPS calls alleging educational neglect all because I would not send Michael back to a school where death threats were not taken seriously.
Michael's story is a telling example of total and criminal disregard for students at North Tonawanda Schools.
If you would like to share your own experience with North Tonawanda Schools and any of the issues raised throughout this article, please email us at niagaraaction@gmail.com.
Former Principal Fisher Blamed My Son's Sexual Orientation for Death Threat: North Tonawanda Schools Part 11