GRAND JUNCTION — “We’ve had a student that has been bullied for many years. The school has known about this for many years. The parents have reported this to them on many occasions” voiced the students attorney, Igor Raykin.

Amber and Nathan Harford’s say a known bully and others targeted their former special needs student at Orchard Mesa middle school for two and a half years. The bullying culminated in three concussions along with a diagnosis of bell’s palsy–or partial facial paralysis.

Raykin announced, “A special needs child that was viciously assaulted by another student.”

The lawsuit cites dozens and dozens of incidents of verbal and physical harassment. From making fun of their son’s shoes and speech to punching him 27 times — causing the facial paralysis.

“That other student was criminally charged and pled guilty,” Raykin uttered.

To make matters worse, the assailant’s friends recorded the hallway assault on their phones, then posted it to bully their son on social media.

Raykin stated, “And at that point the parents made the descision to keep him safe and not send him back to school without a safety plan.”

Which their lawyer Igor Raykin says the district has not provided, along with a special education plan for their child which is part of their first lawsuit against D51.

“They have fought us at every point. It’s been very difficult dealing with unreasonable people who just won’t do the right thing,” the parents stated.

Amber and Nathan say they just want to get their son back on track.