WACO, Texas — Allison Buras, the dean of Live Oak Classical School, spent most of Wednesday being questioned on the school's history with bullying during a trial in Austin on the case of a female student who came back from a school camping trip with rope burns around her neck in 2016.
The child's mother is suing the school for $3 million, alleging the school did not intervene enough when her daughter, who was 12 years old at the time, was being bullied.
The girl said three boys wrapped a long, nylon rope around neck, attached it to a tree and slammed her to the ground during the camping trip.
The school never reported the incident to police nor conducted its own investigation, and the student did not return to the school after the incident.
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The child and her mother said this was not the first instance of bullying the girl had faced.
It was revealed in court a teacher had sent an email to Buras saying other students were verbally abusing the girl.
In Buras' reply, she said bullying is a strong word and that children sometimes make mistakes and say unkind things.
Buras also addressed the victim's bullying in an email to teachers where she wrote there may be some validity to the girl's statement, but she doesn't know how to connect with her citing the girl's social skills.
"When I talk to her it's like a tennis match with only one person hitting the ball," Buras wrote.
The dean maintained the school had no history of bullying during her testimony.
When the family's defense attorney asked, "Teachers and parents reporting bullying doesn't create a history of bullying?" Buras responded, "Right."
The attorney also asked Buras if there are any policies that should be changed, she said she couldn't think of one that needs to be changed.
The trial will continue Thursday morning at 9.