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
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.
A MOTHER RECOUNTS HAVING CPS CALLED ON HER SEVERAL TIMES AMID CONSTANT CONFLICT WITH ADMINISTRATION
North Tonawanda Schools were an absolute nightmare for my kids. I have been hesitant about whether to share my story or not out from fear of retaliation from the biggest bully in the district; middle school social worker Jill Lyons.
She uses CPS as a weapon, which from my conversations with caseworkers and her own co-workers is well known. I was amazed at how many parents talked about this at meetings.
Lyons’ bullying began with my kids in middle school. Her one son is the same age as my child and the issue started on the sports field. Lyons overstepped her bounds and made sure her kid was cleared of everything.
Not too long after, the police showed up at our home because Lyons’ son was taking pictures from my Facebook and photoshopping it to look like my child was making school threats.
Detectives knocked on our door one Sunday with screenshots of messages that included a school threat of mass harm. Fortunately, they could tell it was photoshopped and wanted to know if we had any idea who was behind it.
Lyons’ son and another boy created the photoshopped threat. This was confirmed when the other boy texted my son admitting that he and Lyons’ son created it because they “thought it was funny.” He apologized, and we heard later on that he stayed away from Lyons’ son after that.
Although he didn’t make the school threat, that didn’t stop Lyons’ kid from spreading the rumor, which resulted in a terrible nickname for my son.
My son was jumped on his way home from school and the other kids filmed it. The kid was a couple years younger than my son, but knew the same things that Lyons’ son had been saying to him. My son had never met this person before, nor ever talked to him. My son found out afterward the the kid who assaulted him was connected to Lyons' son.
The aggressor was allegedly expelled from school. We couldn’t even get the assistant principal to contact the teacher that witnessed the attack because “teachers are too busy for this.” He is now the principal.
Regarding the bullying that my son experienced, the information Lyons’ son used to harass, belittle, and torment him were things only known to teachers/staff. The only thing I’ve been able to come up with is that Lyons must talk about students at home which gives her son the information he needs to go after other kids.
Lyons knew that I was consistently making complaints to the school about her son. It should come as no surprise that someone at the school started making CPS calls. There were several, and at no time prior to my son being bullied by Lyons’ son did I ever have CPS show up at my house.
Fortunately, I am very organized and keep everything documented. Regardless of what the allegation was, I had everything necessary to show CPS that there was no neglect, maltreatment or abuse.
On one of the occasions I remember a female caseworker saying, “I hate when the district does this, but we are legally bound to investigate.”
One positive thing that did come of it was that one of the caseworkers advised me to call SEQA (State Education Quality Assurance) regarding violations to my child’s IEP. The state did say there were violations, but not enough to take action on.
There are other parents who have had similar experiences with Lyons’ son. He was big into soccer and I heard from another parent that he kicked a soccer ball so hard at a teammate – who wasn’t paying attention because the game/practice was finished – that he sustained permanent damage to the teammate’s eye, essentially ending his ability to play sports. The local soccer team disbanded because players had enough of Lyons’ son and he was forced to join a team in another city, at least that’s what I was told.
I’m not sure if I sound like I’m rambling but six years of this tends to make you feel upset and angry. I have seen enough of social service caseworkers to last me a lifetime.
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.
Weaponizing Child Protective Services: North Tonawanda Schools Part 10