Bergen County Parents Sue New Jersey School District Over Alleged Bullying During Washington Trip
A New Jersey school district is facing a lawsuit after the parents of a middle-school student claimed their son experienced months of bullying tied to his mixed-race background and that school officials failed to properly step in.
According to the lawsuit filed in Superior Court in Bergen County, the student attended Tenakill Middle School in Closter and was allegedly targeted by classmates both inside the school and during an overnight school trip to Washington, D.C., in May 2025.
The legal complaint states that the student faced repeated harassment in school hallways before the trip and that the situation became more serious during the Washington visit. The parents claim several students engaged in violent and abusive behavior while chaperones allegedly failed to control or stop the incidents.
Court documents describe the trip as chaotic and poorly supervised, alleging that students were involved in physical fights, intimidation, and repeated acts of torment. The lawsuit also claims some of the behavior included racially, religiously, and ethnically motivated verbal abuse directed at the child.
The complaint further alleges that certain students participated in dangerous physical acts, including choking one another until near-unconsciousness and causing cuts and bruises. The lawsuit does not clearly state whether the child at the center of the case was personally involved in those incidents, but the family argues that the overall environment placed students at serious emotional and physical risk.
The parents accuse the district of failing to provide a safe environment for students and claim officials violated New Jersey anti-bullying protections by not properly addressing the alleged harassment and discrimination. The lawsuit argues that district staff and trip chaperones did not take effective action despite the reported behavior.
The school trip was reportedly supervised by multiple adults, including teachers and a librarian. However, the filing claims the students’ actions went largely unchecked throughout the overnight visit.
As of Thursday, district officials had not publicly responded to requests for comment regarding the allegations in the lawsuit.
The case adds to ongoing concerns across the country about student safety, bullying prevention, and school supervision during educational trips. In New Jersey, schools are required to follow strict anti-bullying policies intended to protect students from harassment based on race, ethnicity, religion, and other protected characteristics.
The lawsuit remains active in Bergen County Superior Court, and no rulings have yet been made regarding the claims brought by the family.
Sources:
New Jersey Department of Education
New Jersey Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act
Superior Court of New Jersey, Bergen County
