Springfield Bullying Incident Allegedly Caught On Camera

SPRINGFIELD, NJ — Affraz Mohammed is yet another parent to speak up and share their child’s bullying situation in the Springfield School District, in hopes of change. This is the third family to reach out to Patch regarding bullying issues.

Mohammed attended the recent Springfield Board of Education meeting on Nov. 6 where parents packed the room to discuss rampant bullying issues in the district after 9-year-old Emma Spektor’s bullying account became highly publicized.

• See Related: Disturbing Accounts Of Rampant Bullying Shared At Packed Meeting

Spektor, a Thelma L. Sandmeier School fourth-grader, has not attended class since September, after her mother refused to return her due to bullying issues.

• Related: Springfield 4th Grader Won't Go To School Because Of Bullies, Mom's Plea For New Classroom Rejected

Mohammed attended the meeting in hopes of sharing his daughter Wafaa’s story, but was unable to speak due to his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a retired Marine.

“I felt that I was not able to help my daughter,” Mohammed said.

Now Mohammed is sharing Wafaa’s story in hopes it will help the administration see there is a problem.

The bullying began last year in October and November during the 2016-17 school year for Wafaa, while attending Sandmeier School.

Wafaa was bullied because of her religious background as a Muslim.

“They would say ‘You guys are terrorists, Look what you did to our country,’ ” Mohammed said. “I always told Wafaa to just say that ‘My father served this country and that terrorists are not Muslim but ignorant people.’ ”

Along with the name calling, Mohammed said another student struck his daughter and it was caught on the school’s video camera. He added that the student even admitted to Principal Michael Plias that she hit Wafaa.

A Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (HIB) investigation was conducted which reportedly found nothing, Mohammed said.

Mohammed requested a copy of the investigation and has still to this day not received anything. The child in question, who struck Wafaa, was also not reprimanded, Mohammed said.

“The student was seen on camera striking my child,” Mohammed said in disbelief.

The bullying continued into January when a student stole her pencil box and then called her a “snitch” for reporting the incident.

Mohammed said Plias was of no help to Wafaa and allegedly told her to “get tougher skin and to grow a spine.”

Mohammed and his ex-wife wrote the school many times hoping for a change and even requested Wafaa not be in the same class as the girl in question as she entered the middle school in 2017-18.

However, despite Plias’ assurances that she wouldn’t, Wafaa was once again placed in the same class in fifth grade, Mohammed said.

Wafaa didn't want to go back to school, but Mohammed convinced her to continue.

Mohammed just wants the school to acknowledge the problem, specifically the incident caught on camera.

“I suffer from PTSD and it is hurtful that I couldn't be there for my child and protect her myself,” Mohammed said. “I fought for myself and fought for everyone in this country and you better be damned sure that I will put up a proper fight for my child.”

“I will not be surprised when a child commits suicide anytime soon," Mohammed continued. “It is such a small town that all of these kids see each other not only in school but in special activities and sports.”

Despite Patch’s effort to reach out to Superintendent Michael Davino for comment on Mohammed’s situation, he did not respond.

• See Related: Springfield Family Moves To Get Away From Bullies
• See Related: 6 Weeks Later, Bullied Springfield Student Is Still Out Of School

(Image via Morguefile)

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