Fight Victim Couldn't Trust Ridgewood Officials To Help: Lawsuit

RIDGEWOOD, NJ — A boy who was seriously injured during a fight at Ridgewood High School last month did not believe that reporting another student's alleged bullying of a girl to district and school officials would "be fruitful" because he was bullied throughout his entire schooling in Ridgewood, according to a lawsuit filed against the students involved in the fight and dozens of other students and their parents.

The victim was bullied by students throughout his entire academic career despite repeatedly complaining about it to school and district officials, including Superintendent Daniel Fishbein, according to the lawsuit.

One of the defendants in the case reportedly hired another defendant to fight the victim, according to the complaint.

The plaintiffs in the case, "Bob Boe," his parents, "C.K." and "M.K." and a girl "Patty Poe" and her parents "C.S." and "R.S." are suing two students, their parents, Ridgewood High School students and parents, Snapchat's parent company and other corporations regarding two fights, that happened between two boys, a 14-year-old and a 16-year-old, Oct. 28 at Brookside Field at the high school.

The plaintiffs want damages for medical bills, pain and suffering and lost wages. They also want the district to form a committee to investigate the incidents further and implement a social media and bullying policy that is "equal to everyone."

According to the lawsuit, Ridgewood High School students regularly collect "sexually explicit photographs" of other students and share them with one another.

One of the defendant boys "bullied, harassed, intimidated, enticed or coerced "Patty Poe" to take a private photo of her, without her face showing, and sent it to the other defendant," the complaint states. One of the boys allegedly bullied the girl about the photo "in the presence of" Principal Tom Gorman, Superintendent Daniel Fishbein and teachers.

One of the defendants on Snapchat urged "Patty Poe" to commit suicide. "Bob Boe" urged the one defendant to stop bullying "Patty Poe." "Boe" believed that reporting the bullying to Gorman, Fishbein or his teachers would not make a difference because he was also bullied by students "throughout his entire schooling in Ridgewood" despite complaint being made to officials.

One of the defendant students "insisted" that "Bob Boe" fight him to stop the bullying of "Patty Poe." "Bob Boe" declined to fight him and did not report the threat to officials. "Bob Boe" asked the one defendant, in the presence of Fishbein, Gorman and at least one teacher, Oct. 27 to cancel the fight and stop bullying the girl, according to the complaint.

The second boy defendant "suddenly and without warning... assaulted, beat up and knocked out" "Bob Boe" at Brookside field with the first boy defendant and in front of "students 3-50" some of whom photographed and recorded the altercation and published the it on social media, including Snapchat.

The defendant students allegedly continued to bully "Bob Boe" and "Patty Poe" at a football game at the school Oct. 27; according to the lawsuit, one of the defendants knocked out "Bob Boe" at the game.

"Bob Boe" visited Brookside Field the next day to try and persuade the defendant boys to stop bullying "Patty Poe" and himself, but he was knocked out again by the boys, the complaint states. The boy's skull was fractured and he might lose vision in one eye, which was swollen shut, as a result of the injury.

Two boys in the case, ages 14 and 16, were charged with assault after the Oct. 28 fight, police previously reported. Police conducted "an extensive investigation." The 14-year-old was charged with aggravated assault and simple assault. The 16-year-old was charged with simple assault, Chief Jacqueline Luthcke said. Police said the fight was "mutual" between the boys.

Attorney Rosemarie Arnold, who is representing the plaintiffs, filed the a civil complaint in Bergen County Superior Court Thursday. She also delivered two notices of intent to Ridgewood High School Thursday stating that "Bob Boe's" parents intend to sue the Board of Education, Gorman and Fishbein.

Fishbein previously said he would not comment because the matter "is now a legal issue and there is pending litigation."

Read the complaint here:

Ridgewood Complaint by Daniel Hubbard on Scribd

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