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)
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.
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.
EMAIL FROM MOTHER OF 9TH GRADE STUDENT AT NORTH TONAWANDA HIGH SCHOOL
My daughter is currently enrolled at North Tonawanda High School. Just before Christmas in 2024, my daughter was assaulted and badly beaten in the bathroom.
Below is the video of the fight. Photographs of my daughter’s injuries can be found further into this story:
Prior to this, my daughter repeatedly told Principal Bradley Rowles of the issues she was having with two other female students who were cousins. The student who bullied her was in 9th grade. Her cousin, who is in 10th grade, was the one who beat her in the bathroom while her cousin watched and cheered her on.
Even my daughter’s friends were being targeted.
The bullying started because my daughter never wanted to be this bully’s friend. The female student then began to spread lies about my daughter including that she was pregnant and a whore. Neither of which are or were true.
The bully showed up at our home prior to the fight at school trying to get my daughter to come outside. They intended on jumping her on the sidewalk, which is what they said they were going to do in messages.
She also brought two other students and recorded herself trying to get my daughter out of the house. She then posted the video on social media and shared it with her friends.
“Come outside ____, come outside. What the fu*k. We’re outside. We’re outside love come outside.”
My daughter did not go outside, but I did. I told the girls to leave. However, they didn't listen. The bully sat down on my neighbor's steps and refused to leave until I said “okay, I will call a cop.” They then got up and left.
The video can be viewed below:
In the midst of this, the bully sent harassing and threatening messages to my daughter and her friends. These messages were shared with administration and still nothing was done.
The fight, which spanned nearly a minute before an adult arrived to break it up, resulted in my daughter sustaining serious injuries. She was punched repeatedly in the face, body slammed to the ground, and had her face bashed into the floor several times. Ultimately, she sustained injuries to her face, severe body bruising, and a concussion.
Photos of my daughter after the incident are included below:
Both my daughter and the cousin in 10th grade were suspended despite the fact she did not swing first. The cousin in 9th grade, who was the main bully, was not punished.
My fiancé and I had several conversations with Principal Rowles before and after the bathroom fight took place. Nothing was done to prevent my daughter from being targeted.
We even went to the police to make a report. However, we were told that they could “not do anything” because it “happened in school.” This included taking no action for the bullying or assault. Charges were never filed.
After the fight and suspensions, the 10th grade cousin started another fight in the hallway with one of my daughter’s friends. To this day, she remains at the school sending harassing messages to them.
The disappointment I have in North Tonawanda High School’s administration is immeasurable. The fact that bullying and physical threats of violence could be reported not once, not twice, but more than three times to the school principal –and nothing be done– is inexcusable.
If you cannot protect children, you should not be teaching at a school.
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.
Student Beaten after Principal Rowles Fails to Act: North Tonawanda Schools Part 3