Parents File Suit Over ‘Fat Moron’ Comment

LAS VEGAS (CN) - Parents say an 8th-grade English teacher at a Christian school traumatized their son by telling him in front of his class that he would become a "bigger and fatter moron" than he already was. The parents say the comment caused their son to go on an unhealthy exercise and diet regimen and lose 15 pounds in a month.

Fred Balmer and Mandia Shaw say they enrolled their son at Green Valley Christian Elementary School as a 4th-grader in 2005. In 2009, the boy was in the 8th grade.

This spring of 2010, the parents say, they noticed a change in his eating habits. "Specifically, [the boy] disavowed all deserts," according to the complaint in Clark County Court.

They say they also noticed a change in his physical activities, and a new, strict regimen of exercise.

The parents say they eventually learned that his English teacher, Jeremy Schultz, told the boy in front of his class that he would become a "bigger and fatter moron" than he already was.

They say the comment caused their son to suffer "severe emotional distress and humiliation, causing him to begin an extreme diet and exercise program."

The parents say Schultz admitted his misconduct, but the very day that school administrators informed them of this, their son was expelled "for another unrelated incident," and they did not get his tuition refunded.

The parents claim their son has become "withdrawn, suspicious of authority and suffers from low self-esteem due to his abuse by an authority figure in front of his classmates."

They seek damages for negligence, intentional inflection of emotional distress and breach of contract, from the school and Schultz.

They are represented by Amy Honodel with Chasey Honodel.

Subscribe to Closing Arguments

Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.

Email *

Submit