FARMINGTON, UTAH: The family of Isabella "Izzy" Tichenor, a 10-year-old Black student with autism who killed herself in 2021, will reportedly receive $2M from a school district in Farmington, Utah.
According to CNN, Izzy's family she was bullied by her classmates due to her race and disability. Following her death, concerns were raised about the way the Davis School District handled allegations of bullying in its schools.
Who are Isabella 'Izzy' Tichenor's parents?
Izzy died on November 6, 2021. She was born to Brittany Tichenor and Diondre Jones on May 15, 2011, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
A district-commissioned independent investigation found that Izzy's school, Foxboro Elementary, failed to promptly look into bullying allegations. The report also found that the girl had been mistreated but was unable to say whether it was because of her race or her disability, as per reports.
The school district and Izzy's family released a joint statement in which they both referred to the arrangement as a "mutual resolution."
The statement read that Izzy's death "will always have an impact on our community and school." The district added that it was dedicated to ensuring that everyone felt safe at school and that reports of bullying would be "thoroughly documented, promptly addressed, and appropriate consequences will be administered."
The joint statement read, "The District is continually assessing and expanding its processes and efforts to better support every student who attends its schools, including implementing trauma-informed counseling and other resources for its students."
Additionally, the district has given a formal apology as well as $200,000 settlement involving three students who alleged they were discriminated against.
'I am grateful to you for bringing your children's experiences to our attention'
Davis Superintendent Dan Linford wrote in a letter to the children's parents, "On behalf of the Davis School District, I would like to extend my sincerest apologies to you, and most especially, to your three children for the unwelcome experiences they had while attending school in our district. I am grateful to you for bringing your children's experiences to our attention."
In 2021, the Justice Department conducted an investigation into the Davis School District that led to a report and settlement agreement that described how officials had willfully disregarded complaints from parents and students about Black and Asian American students being harassed for years.