Downtown Miami Charter School


The Downtown Miami Charter School knew that a seven year-old student was being bullied and sexually abused by an 11 year-old student and failed to prevent it from recurring. That is the gist of a lawsuit filed Monday in Miami-Dade circuit court on behalf of “John Doe,” the alleged seven year-old victim...

According to the lawsuit the second grader was being bullied on the school bus, operated by Carmen Alvarez Bus Service, a private school bus company. The boy told his mother about the bullying, and she spoke to the bus driver.  The bullying continued however, according to the lawsuit, and in November, 2011, the fifth grader allegedly forced the younger boy to perform a sex act on him on the school bus...

The mother told Principal Rebecca Dinda about the incident. Dinda notified DCF and the police. The lawsuit alleges that the principal assured the mother the two boys would be separated and closely monitored.

According to the lawsuit, the bullying continued, and the younger boy was sexually abused by the older boy twice more in a school bathroom.

“A school has a duty to prevent what is called foreseeable harm from occurring to its students,” said attorney Jeffrey Herman who represents John Doe. “In this case we’re alleging that the school failed miserably.”...

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