The Abbotsford School District is denying a mother's claim her young son was bullied when he was urinated on by fellow students, calling the incident "inappropriate play" with no malicious intent.
Crystal Tutt told CTV News since January, her five-year-old son Ayres has been punched, cut and even urinated on by bullies, either at his Abbotsford elementary school or at the adjoining daycare. In one recent incident, Tutt said his right eye was cut after being struck in the face with a block.
Last week, she says Ayres was urinated on by older students in a school washroom. She learned of the event in his day planner, with the note calling it an "unfortunate incident" that required his soaked pants being changed.
The Abbotsford School District did not respond to four interview requests on March 31, the day CTV ran the story.
Four days later, a statement from district Superintendent Kevin Godden was sent to the newsroom saying it disputes the story.
In the statement, officials say the claim that Ayres was urinated on by older students was misinterpreted, and there was no malicious intent behind the incident.
Godden said the incident involved two kindergarten boys "engaging in inappropriate play behaviour while attempting to use the same urinal in the school’s bathroom."
The district says staff responded to the situation immediately and a lesson on bathroom etiquette was "reinforced." Parents were notified and an apology was communicated, he added.
"It is important to note, again, that there was no malicious intent from one student towards the other," said the statement.
The district says student safety is a priority and bullying is not accepted in any way.
"An important component of our procedures is to encourage students and parents to report incidents of bullying so that appropriate steps can be taken to prevent escalation and keep all parties safe," Godden wrote.
After sending the emailed statement, the school district again denied a request for an on-camera interview.
Tutt says the school district response does not sit well with her, nor does their version of events. She met with school officials earlier this week but left "agreeing to disagree."
However, she did say officials are now more aware of the situation with her son and promise to do more in the future.
Tutt feels the district is minimizing her concerns about her son being bullied. The mom maintains Ayres came home "very upset" the day he was peed on, so she disputes that the incident was just playing at school.
Ayres no longer wants to go to school, she added. Since the story aired, she has enrolled him in a self-defence program.
Tutt has created an online petition calling on schools to enforce zero tolernace for bullying.
With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Julie Nolin
