WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. (WFLA) — A few days after a mother from Wesley Chapel reached out to 8 On Your Side about her daughter’s recurring bullying issues at a Pasco County middle school, our coverage brought the issue directly into the classroom setting.
“I asked, ‘what is happening? Why are you bullying others? You should feel embarrassed to see yourself on the news for such behavior,’” commented substitute teacher Jeffrey Pash.
Pash said he wanted to encourage his students to be kind to one another. A few hours later, he said he was fired and walked off the campus.
This photo was taken on Monday inside Thomas E. Weightman Middle School showing our story projected for the class to watch.
“I wanted to communicate, ‘listen, this is not right. You shouldn’t have to make the news for bullying people; it’s simply wrong,’” Pash elaborated. “I felt like no one else was discussing it and no one else was stepping in to help.”
A few periods later, Pash said the principal fired him and escorted him off campus.
When asked if Weightman has a bullying problem, Pash said, “I really think there is.”
Last week, 8 On Your Side introduced you to Tosha. We’re not using Tosha’s real name to protect her children’s identities.
Tosha told us her oldest daughter was bullied repeatedly at the school after the family moved to Wesley Chapel last September.
The working mom of three said her oldest daughter endured name calling, racial slurs, even photos taken in a school locker room and then posted on social media.
“It was very traumatizing for her,” Tosha said. “She at one point she thought if she got skinnier that the girl would leave her alone if she had nice hair, the girl would leave her alone. We went through: ‘I’m only going to eat crackers and water’.”
Tosha said she turned to the school district for help, then Pasco County deputies, but when the bullying continued, she took the case to court.
A judge signed an injunction forbidding the accused bully from stalking Tosha’s daughter.
“She’s broken not only the school order of the non-contact,” Tosha responded. “She’s broken the civil order that was given to my daughter by a judge.”
Tosha was outraged the story was shown in class, knowing it would only further the bullying. She wants to see change now.
Pasco County Schools confirmed “that the school immediately addressed the situation” and wrote “the substitute works for a staffing company and will no longer be utilized as a substitute in our district.”
“I think the district needs to go into Weightman and see exactly how bad it is,” said Pash.
A district spokesperson previously cited a statute forbidding them from sharing confidential student information but wrote:
“While Pasco County Schools in not in a position to discuss specific students, we can assure you that our District strictly and ardently complies with both our anti-bullying School Board policies and Florida Law. You can review more information regarding our Anti-Harassment ( Policy 5517) and Anti-Bullying (Policy 5517.01) at: Active Policies – 7227 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.| Land O’ Lakes, FL 34638 | (813) 794-2000 BoardDocs® Pro.”
“I feel that I failed her,” Tosha said. “I feel like the community failed her and I feel like the school system failed her.”
“It’s very, very, very shameful that you trust all these adults to do right by your kid and they can’t even do that right,” said Pash.
Tosha said her 13-year-old couldn’t take it anymore, so she moved her daughter back to live with the girl’s grandmother in Ohio and when her own lease is up in Wesley Chapel, Tosha said she and her other daughters will join them.
