Extreme Choice by US 3rd Grader Due to 'Hakpok'... 3.3 Billion KRW Compensation to Family

Lost consciousness for 7 minutes after being beaten in the bathroom
After re-assault two days later, made an extreme choice
US authorities to establish a system to prevent group bullying and erect a memorial monument

In January 2017, an extreme choice was made due to group bullying. [AP=Yonhap News Archive Photo]

[Asia Economy Reporter Minwoo Lee] The family of an elementary school student in the United States who took their own life after suffering from group bullying at school will receive compensation of 3.3 billion KRW. A memorial will be erected at the school, and a group bullying prevention system will be established in the area.

According to the New York Times (NYT) and other sources on the 6th (local time), the Cincinnati school district in Ohio decided on the 4th to pay $3 million (approximately 3.34 billion KRW) in compensation to the family of Gabriel Taye, who made an extreme choice after being bullied at Carson Elementary School within the district in January 2017. The Cincinnati school district will also establish a bullying prevention system, confirm it twice a year with Taye’s family, and erect a memorial at the school Taye attended.

Taye, who was in the third grade of elementary school at the time of his death, is known to have been bullied for at least one year. Surveillance cameras at the school captured footage on January 24, 2017, showing Taye being called into the school bathroom, thrown to the ground by a student, and beaten until he lost consciousness. Taye remained unconscious for over seven minutes. Passing students kicked him and pointed fingers at him.

His mother, Cornelia Reynolds, who was unaware of the bullying, sent him back to school two days later. On that day, after being assaulted again, Taye took his own life after school. Taye wanted to become a soldier, was academically excellent, and was known to avoid conflicts.

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