Venezuelan family’s struggle at Antioch Middle: Attacks, neglect, and a call for action

By Amanda Chin

In a tale of heartbreak and pain, an immigrant family from Venezuela, the Andrade Paz’s, has shared their distressing experience with their child, Alanis Lucia being subjected to repeated verbal and physical attacks at Antioch Middle School, Tennessee since her enrolment in August, a year ago.

The Hidden Nightmare

The first reported physical attack on Alanis occurred in October last year. The family was only made aware of the incident one week later through school gossip. The school’s administration promised an investigation into the matter, but the family asserts that they never received any follow-up communication, consequently causing feelings of neglect.

A Callous Continuity

Complaints of maltreatment continued with another attack on Alanis the following month. The family claimed the school took no initiative to inform them. It was Alanis’s teacher who took it upon herself to notify them. However, it was the incident of February 12 that left the family devastated. Alanis was rushed to hospital after throwing up and fainting at school. Tests revealed that she had alcohol and traces of drugs in her system from a water bottle given to her by one of the students.

A Plea for Action

Faced with the horrifying circumstances, the family emailed the school asking for intervention but received no reply. The continuously escalating troubles led to the family taking drastic measures and storming into the school to demand an in-person meeting with the school’s assistant principal. Despite documenting every event, the family reports that the school was slow to respond and failed to take assertive action.

Action Deferred

According to Alanis’s sister, Engerlinth Castillo, the assistant principal’s response was a passively dismissive claim that the school year was virtually over and suggesting that meant the issue was too. Alanis’s heartbroken family insist that the path of neglect on the part of the school in addressing the issues effectively only allowed for more untoward instances to happen. The family shared a subsequent video with their local media station of another alleged attack on Alanis, displaying their quest for justice.

A Larger Call for Action

The family has now turned to legal recourse and is in the process of taking legal action. They want to share their story as a call for action, asserting that they believe other students in the school might also be victims of such bullying. They say their nightmare continues and are making immense efforts to prevent other families from experiencing similar circumstances.

Editorial note: Engerlinth Castillo’s interview has been translated to English.