A Maine parent says school officials ignored their child’s repeated safety concerns, dismissing trauma as "preteen drama" and failing to protect them.

A parent in Bridgton, Maine, says their child’s repeated safety concerns were dismissed as “preteen drama” despite documented distress and clear patterns of harm. The school failed to investigate, provide support, or take protective action, and intervened in ways that punished bystanders who tried to stop assaults while letting aggressors go unpunished. This pattern, the parent argues, reflects a systemic failure to recognize trauma—especially in quiet or neurodivergent students—leading to eroded trust, emotional harm, and a culture where speaking up feels risky. The article calls for schools to stop minimizing trauma and instead respond with urgency, transparency, and care for all students.