UPDATE 9:55 P.M., September 14: The Clark County School Board unanimously approved a tougher new anti-bullying policy.
Parents who say their children endured abuse at the hands of bullies at Greenspun Junior High School applaud the move.
"We're moving forward with stronger ant-bullying laws," said Aimee Hairr, who said her son was sexually assaulted in 2011.
The measure, mandated by state law, more specifically lays out procedures in greater detail, including: school officials must notify parents of a bullying investigation. Officials cannot do anything that could harm the victim like forcing the victim to switch class.
"I think it's a good policy,” Hairr said. “But I also feel there needs to be consequence there
Thirteen Action News first introduced you to Aimee Hairr Wednesday night. Hairr said the policy does not go far enough to hold administrators accountable.
“Until the consequence happens, I don' think we're going have enough teeth in the policy," Hairr said.
Thirteen Action News asked Brandon Moeller, the district's assistant director with equity and diversity what the district is doing to hold accountable their own officials.
“They've been held accountable all the way because if somebody does not follow through they and get all the way to losing their job or being written up," Moeller said.
"If they don't implement it, then no, then we're still at square one," Hairr said.
ORIGINAL STORY: Aimee Hairr knew something wasn't right. “We saw a difference in our son within a 6 month period.” Back in 2011, her son had just entered Greenpsun Jr. High School in Henderson. Almost right away, he began withdrawing. “He just became extremely more reserved, very quiet, wanted to spend more time in his room."
At first, Hairr chalked up his depression to a tween in a new school. "We didn't know how in depth this was."
Then Hairr found out how deep and disturbing there problem was. "It was sexual assault."
Hairr says her son was the victim of brutal and relentless attacks. "Both my son and his friend were physically assaulted, sexually assaulted, harassed, bullied, sexually discriminated against."
Hairr says neither the school nor the district said a word. “They didn't tell me."
Mary Bryan says her son got bullied for trying to stick up for Hairr's son.
Bryan says the school never told her either. "I overheard the kids talking. Had i not overheard, I might not have known," Bryan says.
A judge, earlier this summer, awarded the two families $200,000 each, ruling the Clark County School District failed to properly address the problem. “If something goes awry, the parents should be notified immediately," Bryan says.
On Thursday night, both moms will be in the audience when the board is scheduled to approve a new, tougher anti-bullying policy mandated by state law. "Everything we can do to continue strengthening the bullying law, I think it's going to help keep kids safer," Hairr says.
The new anti-bullying policy revamps the old, including provisions that forbid schools official from taking action that could harm the victim like making the victim switch classes.
The new policy also lays out far more detailed appeals process.
