In the present scenario, a seventh grade female student, "Margie," is experiencing an ongoing issue with three male classmates. In the hallways of the school, the boys called her names and make "odd sounds" when she passes by (Students, 2008, p. 1). When she confronted the three boys, they laughed at her and continued to taunt her. When the taunting escalated, Margie sought assistance from her guidance counselor. The school counselor talked with the boys. After this meeting, the boys cornered Margie, shoved her into a locker, knocked her books to the ground and spat on her. At home, Margie also began to receive "abusive" and "obscene" phone calls from the three boys, who, after receiving warnings from the school counselor, significantly increased their harassment of her (Students, 2008, p. 1).
Margie took the matter to the school principal, who simply told her, "Just stay away from them while you are at school" (Students, 2008, p. 1). When the harassment did not end, Margie's mother intervened with the principal, asking for assistance. The boys were summoned to the principal's office and warned they would be disciplined if their behavior did not end at once. The harassment continued to escalate. Margie told the principal the harassment was continuing, but she noticed no difference in the behavior of the boys. Margie eventually refused to go to school at all, and she was placed on medication by a licensed physician to help her cope with the impact of the events.
At this point Margie's mother decided to meet with the principal. During the meeting, she demanded to know what "disciplinary action" he had taken with the three boys involved (Students, 2008). She explained Margie's condition and specifically blamed it on the boys' harassment of her daughter. Margie's mother also informed the principal that she retained an attorney to "deal with blatant peer sexual harassment" (Students, 2008, p. 1)...