From WBZ (4.20.10):
"Boy With Down's Syndrome Bullied At School"
By Beth Germano
...Brian, a middle schooler with down's syndrome, had been harboring a secret for months. Bullies were taunting him on the school bus, and preying on his special needs with cruel, abusive language.
"You wonder why somebody would do that to someone who, for all intents and purposes, is defenseless," said his father, Nicholas Palmieri. It had been going on since the start of school, and finally took a courageous fellow student to notify the family.
"She was forthcoming about what's going on, the names they were calling him," said Kathy. "She's very sick, and said, 'I can't take it anymore.'"
The principal of the M.G. Williams school took quick action against the three students, suspending them out-of-school for two days, and in-school for a third day when they are required to write a paper on down's syndrome.
"Hopefully they'll educate themselves about these children and their needs," she said.
Brian's mother is also meeting with the students and their parents, and one of them sent a note of apology to Brian. What happened to their son, his parents say, can happen to anyone.
And with recent cases of bullying so prominent, the family is grateful for the school's decisive action and the student on the bus who came forward.
"Sometimes being brave can be extremely important. But also very rewarding to people going through these things," said Nicholas Palmieri.
Comment: In your opinion, what steps should be taken to stop bullying at schools? Do you think the school acted correctly in response to the situation?
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