Parents claim Patchogue-Medford School District didn't protect their kids from years of bullying

The federal lawsuit claims the kids "experienced near-constant bullying and harassment...yet the district continually failed to take the action necessary to protect [them]."

Jonathan Gordon

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Mar 19, 2025, 9:08 AM

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Updated 2 hr ago

Parents of twins in the Patchogue-Medford School District claim their kids suffered years of continuous bullying but the district failed to take any action to protect them, according to a new federal lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York late last month.

The Patchogue-Medford School District, South Ocean Middle School, Principal Timothy Piciullo, Assistant Principal Maria Del Pilar Erdman and Dean Ryan Crabtree were all named in the lawsuit.

"Defendants' callous disregard for the well-being of L.D. and A.D. resulted in years of terror at the hands of peers and staff," part of the lawsuit read.

The lawsuit claims the bullying began in November 2022 when one of the twins, the boy, was a student at South Ocean Middle School. The parents accused other students of photographing the boy using the bathroom and spreading the pictures over social media as well as physically and verbally abusing the child.

The parents, who News 12 is not identifying to protect the identity of the two minor children, said a Dignity for All Students Act investigation verified the complaints but the district did not act.

The lawsuit states the boy was treated like an outcast for years.

"Unfortunately, as the years wore on, L.D.'s experience at South Ocean Middle School became a living nightmare, which also negatively impacted A.D's experience at the school," part of the lawsuit read.

The lawsuit claims the boy's attendance started to go down and his grades suffered as a result of the bullying. The parents also said the child suffered mentally including being hospitalized for an eating disorder, anxiety and depression.

The lawsuit states the boy's twin sister was also bullied and suffered from depression, anxiety and an eating disorder.

The parents claim they made repeated efforts to have staff intervene but "the district "failed to take the action necessary to protect [their kids]."

"It is too little too late for L.D. and A.D., who suffered over two years of bullying, harassment, and discrimination due to Patchogue-Medford School District’s failure to protect L.D. and A.D. from cruel and relentless bullying and discrimination from peers and school staff," part of the lawsuit reads.

The attorney for the family Marc Andrew Kramer told News 12 the allegations are shocking.

"When you send your child to a school parents lose control," Kramer said. "They've now relinquished it to the school and the school therefore becomes the caretaker and they failed. They failed miserably."

Jacqueline Ryan recently graduated from the Patchogue-Medford School District and is a close family friend of the family that filed the lawsuit.

"These children are truly the most amazing kids I've ever met," Ryan said. "Bullying is a serious issue that affects many individuals and is important to actually address it."

Other parents expressed similar concerns about how the district chooses to enforce its anti-bullying policies.

"I have to come up here and advocate for my son daily because this is what goes on," South Ocean Middle School parent Joshua Drew said.

Carlos Barzallo recently graduated from the Patchogue-Medford School District as well.

"It breaks my heart because they are young," he said.

A spokesperson for the Patchogue-Medford School District told News 12: "The Patchogue-Medford School District does not comment on individual student matters or pending litigation."

The parents are seeking an undetermined amount in compensatory damages.