From Jolene, Child's Age 13 - 01/19/15 - IP#: 72.234.177.xxx  Click here to reply  
Hello everyone. I posted here last summer about my son John. My husbanded and I adopted him two years ago (he's my husband's cousin's son and had been terribly neglected). John has steadily gained weight and has gone from very underweight to very overweight. He has a huge appetite and all efforts I've made to control his intake have failed because my husband doesn't agree with me and John just loves to eat so much that I don't want to forbid him. He has gone out for wrestling at his Middle School (8th grade) and his weight gain has slowed but not stopped. A week ago when he wrestled he told me he weighed in at 193 (he's about 5 feet 3 inches tall).
My problem and where I need your advice is this: last Thursday my husband and I got called to my son's school because he had been in a fight. We were shocked and when we got to school found that John had a cot his face. It turns out that John got into a fight with another 9th grade boy. John's explanation is that this boy, who's name is Bill, had been teasing John for months, calling him names about his size and then recently started grabbing John's chest and his rear end and making fun of him for having a big chest and a big rear end like he was a fat girl. John said that on Thursday he had enough and told Bill again to stop and Bill challenged him to fight and so John tackled him using a wrestling move and then they rolled around on the locker room floor exchanging punches. John pinned Bill, who is a skinny boy and told him to yield and Bill didn't and kept on punching at John so John sat on him. Bill started yelling and that's when the P.E. teacher came and broke up the fight.
The problem is that my son is being blamed for the fight! Even though he has witnesses who confirm that Bill had been teasing him and grabbing him, the vice-principal says that John deserves more punishment than Bill because he could have hurt Bill when he sat on him. John has been suspended from wrestling, not school.
My husband and I are very upset. I have a cousin who is a lawyer and I called him today and he's willing to help, saying that John has been the victim of bullying and harassment.
My husband and I have told John we're proud of him for standing up for himself.
We are supposed to meet with the Principal on Thursday (she's out of town right now).
Should we bring our lawyer? Please, tell me what you think about this situation.
I know overweight kids are prone to be picked on and here my son stuck up for himself against a bully and he's being punished.
Reply from Matt, Child's Age 13 - 04/27/15  - IP#: 73.208.160.xxx
I could understand if it was my son, who's 300 pounds could have done huge damage, but seriously?		 
Reply from Matt, Child's Age 13 - 04/25/15  - IP#: 73.208.160.xxx
Your son... was punished... for sitting on a boy who was practically MOLESTING him? And just because he's overweight and could have hurt the boy? That jerk of a principal is basically punishing your son for "being fat". B.S.		 
Reply from Mark, Child's Age 15 - 01/20/15  - IP#: 172.56.35.xxx
Hi Jolene it's Mark. As a former high school teacher, and a solicitor (lawyer), I think that getting legal aid should wait for a bit. During that meeting, you should tell them what you want and how you feel about this incident. If they refuse to budge, tell the principal that you will go to the district superintendent office. The second-last thing they want is the superintendent. If possible can you email me again, as I think I can give more advice here! (Mc_isidore@outlook.com)