A sixth-grade Asian student has reportedly been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after being assaulted by four male schoolmates in New York City a little more than a week ago.
The student, identified only as Emma, is an immigrant currently enrolled at George J. Ryan Junior High School (J.H.S. 216) in Fresh Meadows, Queens. She has limited English proficiency.
On June 16, four schoolmates allegedly ganged up to harass and attack Emma. Photos posted on Instagram show injuries she purportedly sustained from the assault.
Subscribe to
NextShark's Newsletter
A daily dose of Asian America's essential stories, in under 5 minutes.
Get our collection of Asian America's most essential stories to your inbox daily for free.
Unsure? Check out our Newsletter Archive.
It is unclear where exactly the alleged attack took place. City Council 2021 candidate Yi Chen, who shared the images online, said Emma did not receive medical treatment following the incident.
Emma was recently diagnosed with PTSD and remains in “a lot of pain,” Chen noted. But she may not be alone as there have been other bullying allegations at George J. Ryan Junior High School.
“Despite several witnesses’ accounts, the incident was neglected and not fairly treated by the school till today,” Chen wrote on Sunday. “It is also reported that there have been two or three other bullying [incidents] in the school.”
Activists and community members are planning to hold a rally in front of the school at 64-20 175th St. at 1:30 p.m. today.
Featured Image via @yiandychen
