Attorney: Bullied
teen denied homework
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 1:32 AM
EDT
By CLAIRE MICHALEWICZ, Press
Staff
MIDDLETOWN — After weeks home
from school because of bullying
from her classmates, Monique
McClain has been unable to
obtain any homework assignments
from the Board of Education, her
attorney said Monday.
Attorney Sally Roberts, who
represents McClain and her
family, said she has resorted to
hiring a state marshal to pick
up the assignments so McClain
can stay caught up in school.
State marshals are peace
officers who can be
independently contracted,
usually to deliver lawsuits and
other legal documents. State
Marshal Susan Voigt, whom
Roberts has hired, said she
plans to stop by the Board of
Education sometime Tuesday
morning.
Roberts accused Board of
Education attorney Christine
Chinni of “complete and utter
uncooperation” in allowing
Monique to access educational
services. She informed Chinni on
Monday that a marshal would pick
up McClain’s homework the next
day.
Chinni did not return a call
seeking comment Monday.
McClain has been out of school
since January because of
bullying from her fellow
students at Woodrow Wilson
Middle School. Her family says
the bullying began when she
started seventh grade in
September and continued for
months.
Since pulling her out of school,
Monique’s mother, Alycia
McClain, had picked up and
dropped off her homework each
week. But on March 18, Roberts
said, Woodrow Wilson Principal
Charles Marqua referred the
McClains to the school board
offices across the street to
pick up assignments. Marqua
could not be reached for
comment.
Alycia and Monique’s
grandmother, Alexa McClain, have
been pushing for the Board of
Education to provide a tutor for
Monique, since the school system
has been unable to protect her
in school. The tutor, Roberts
explained, would be a temporary
measure until Monique could be
placed in a private school, at
the board’s expense.
Roberts accused the board of
“deliberately blocking their
requests,” saying the board
never even set up a meeting with
her and the McClains.
“The BOE is stonewalling at the
expense of a child’s education,”
Roberts said, calling the
situation “appalling.”
So Monique doesn’t fall too far
behind in school, Roberts said
she’s encouraged her to take a
full bag of books from Russell
Library every week and keep
track of what she’s reading.
That way, Roberts said, “Monique
can continue her education,
despite the stonewalling of the
BOE.”
While Monique has been taking
boxing classes at the Lion’s Den
and spending time with the North
End Action Team, her mother said
she’s spent most of her time
since leaving school at home,
bored and lonely. Earlier this
month, Monique had the chance to
meet with professional boxer
Sergio Martinez, who dedicated a
championship fight to her.
Alycia McClain said that
occasion was one of the few
times she had seen her daughter
smile in months.
© 2011 middletownpress.com, a
Journal Register
Property
SAR Itr re State Marshal to pick
up Monique McClain's Homework
Packet.pdf