They found her unconscious on the floor of the girls’ locker room. She had taken an entire bottle of antidepressants. She was rushed to the hospital. Parents, students and neighbors rallied around her family. Neighbors prayed and kept a vigil.
People were outraged and demanded to know why the school had been so slow in responding to Lily’s allegations against Principal Moore. Why did it have to take a suicide attempt and other girls coming forward for the school board to finally act?
Principal Moore was fired, arrested and charged with sexual misconduct. Lily’s parents sued the school and won.
100 Words
This post is for the Friday’s Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. You can find this week’s prompt Here. To read other stories or to participate, click Here.
What a satisfying ending to this tragic story – Well done as always, Adele!
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Thanks, Dora 🙂 I wish more tragic stories had satisfying endings.
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I hope the principal was jailed for a very, very long time!
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I hope so too, Linda. Too often the time actually served doesn’t fit the crime.
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You have a great knack of hitting where it hurts!
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It would be nice to think the days of ignoring young people’s claims of abuse, especially multiple ones, are now behind us.
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Yes, that would be nice, Iain.
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This is an ending that all too often ends with the child further victimized and the principal protected by others in power … Powerful story, that. Good job!
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You’re so right about the victims being further victimized and in some cases, the perpetrators not getting the punishment they deserve. Thanks, Na’ama.
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Alas, that is true all too often. Even as we also need to be heartened by the fact that more perpetrators ARE brought to justice and that many young persons will no longer tolerate systemic abuse. Lots more work to do, though.
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You’re right. There is some progress but lots more work to do.
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LOTS more work to do … sigh …
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Yes, you’re right. There’s a lot more work to be done.
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As others said, a tragic tale with a satisfying ending.
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Thanks, Trent. I wanted Lily to live and for her to see justice done.
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Awful story, but really well told, this is the forth Lily thus far!
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Yes, it is. I hope one day that there will be fewer stories like this. Thank you.
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Dear Adele,
It’s sad that Lily went to such drastic measures. I’m sure she felt she had not other alternatives. How could she fight the system? Glad it all came out in the open. Who knows how many other girls were victimized by that monster. There, you’ve got my blood boiling. Good job!
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
Yes, it is. It was probably the last resort because she felt that it was hopeless trying to fight the system. Yes, things done in secret have a way of eventually coming out in the open. I’m thankful that the story got such a reaction from you. Thanks.
Shalom,
Adele
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Dreadful things some adults do to the children in their care. I read this week about the Pricipal who abused and raped hundreds of girls and boys, yet no-one believed the children’s stories when they had the courage to report ti the police.
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Yes, it is. What a horrific story you read. I can’t understand why they didn’t believe the children. This is why there are so many unreported incidents. The victims fear that they wouldn’t be believed.
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It always seems to be the way. Keep hoping the problem will go away until it’s too late…
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I’m glad Lily recovered and saw justice done. It’s appalling that such things happen, though.
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Yes, it’s nice when justice is done and the victim is alive to see it. And you’re right, such appalling things ought not to happen but sadly, they do.
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sad to say, people in power sometimes feel so entitled they could do anything. it would take a lot of effort to bring them down.
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Yes, they do and oftentimes, they are not brought to justice.
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I’m glad he was brought to justice. Not all are. Civil liability is probably the most compelling reason many governmental institutions watch their workers and hold them accountable.
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