Northern Lehigh School District has been asked to take steps to prevent bullying following the latest physical assault of a student in the district.

Beverly Fick, the parent of a student in the district who was physically assaulted in September, discussed self defense at Monday night’s school board committee meeting.

“I feel that it is very important that the victim be permitted time out of school not as punishment, but time to heal to feel safe to return to school and maybe consideration for arrangements for whatever time would be needed on a case-by-case basis, depending on the severity of the situation,” Fick said. “The victim of assault is a traumatic experience for the victim, physically, mentally and emotionally, and consideration for counseling may be needed as well.

Additionally, the parent said punishment for both parties should not be equal.

“But, I’d like you to think how you would feel being the victim having been attacked not by one individual but encountered by a gang,” Fick said. “What happened to my daughter was a malicious, premeditated assault, and there is a distinct difference, and while the need for policy change is important, there is also another immediate concern that needs to be addressed this evening, as you mentioned the altercation that took place on Trick or Treat night.”

Fick said the girl was assaulted by the same group of girls who assaulted her daughter.

“They intimidated, they bullied, and they assaulted this defenseless girl in the same way,” she said, adding that this time it was four-on-one. “These details are hard to hear, and imaging having to hear it and it’s your daughter or your sister or your friend.”

Fick added, “The victim of this latest assault walked away with cuts and bruises as well as a concussion and she was very fortunate it wasn’t worse. This gang of bullies and aggressors bullied their latest victim for close to a year, allegedly this bullying was reported to the school but was unanswered, unresolved, I don’t know what the situation was but the victim did ultimately go to Cyber School in an effort to escape the harassment that she was enduring and she did her best to avoid this group.

“But as with my daughter, they had it set in their mind they were going to fight so they caught up with her Trick or Treat night and they did what they wanted to do,” she said. “And I believe that this group takes pleasure in what they’re doing, they have no compassion for their victims, they have no remorse, they have no fear of punishment because what punishment.”

Fick pointed out that those who carried out the assault “have a history of bullying several others, as many parents have reached out and said that they have experienced similar accounts of bullying with this very same group, but only recently has this escalated to the point of assault, and with this recent attack it is getting more vicious and more severe.”

Fick noted this was the second attack in less than two months, and again becoming increasingly vicious and violent,

“And yet they all continue to roam the halls of this school and continue to harass and bully and try to intimidate my daughter every chance they can and I’m sure there are others that they are bullying and intimidating as well,” she said. “There isn’t a doubt in my mind that they will attack someone again, could it be our daughter again, it could be somebody else, but the next time could be even more severe.

Fick continued, “Although the recent attack did not take place on school grounds or during school hours, with the obligation of the school having to provide a safe environment, I feel that some sort of discipline needs to be considered because this same group already committed an assault on school grounds, their presence at school puts every student at risk of potential violence.

“The history is there, and there is a pattern of behavioral issues that is disgusting, and that are extremely concerning and worsening in severity,” she said. “There is a pattern, and there is a problem.”

Fick then asked have there been any discussion with parents of the members of this group, as their parents may not even be aware of the seriousness of the actions their children are doing.

“Do they know of the long history of bullying and the multiple targets; do they know that their behavior and actions are trending very unfavorably and the potential of someone being seriously injured or worse is possible and probable? “Do they understand that these were planned assaults on their victims, not just a random school fight?”

Fink said parents are concerned.

“We as parents do enough worrying about our children every time they leave the house and we know that unexpected things can happen. But right now, there is a known threat, and it needs to be dealt with for the sake of every child in this school and every child that just wants to be a kid in their neighborhood.”

Fick added, “This is about the safety of our children, and this out of control behavior should not and will not be tolerated, and I don’t want to wait until there is a next time,” she said. “And I call them a gang because that is how they operate; I think that‘s what keeps them motivated to continue to intimidate and threaten and bully because their juveniles and they feel they can get away with it.”

Superintendent Dr. Matthew J. Link said the district takes all discipline seriously.

“We are going to reconsider all of this within the means that we are allowed to do as a school district and administration, and our school police department is working very closely with the Walnutport Police Department in assisting in their investigation, and we want them to do that to the greatest extent possible,” Link said.