Student Sues, Alleges Anti-Muslim Bullying by Teacher

The Bridgewater-Raritan School District, along with a former principal and a recently retired physical education teacher, are being sued by a former student who alleges a pattern of bullying and harassment. The lawsuit claims the harassment was based on her Muslim faith, dark skin, and Egyptian background. The 19-year-old plaintiff, a recent graduate of Bridgewater-Raritan High School, filed the suit in Somerset County. The complaint names the Bridgewater-Raritan Board of Education, former principal Vincent DelPriore, and retired physical education teacher Kathie DeBonis as defendants.

The alleged incidents took place during the student's senior year in the 2022-2023 school year. According to her legal team, DeBonis, who was also a longtime girls lacrosse coach and health teacher, repeatedly made disparaging and inappropriate comments about her religion and ethnic heritage. The lawsuit details several instances of verbal harassment, including an occasion where DeBonis allegedly told the student, "This is America; by the time you are 16 you will probably be in jail anyway."

Further allegations involve comments made during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The student had received permission to be excused from gym class to observe the daily fast. However, DeBonis allegedly told her, "If I were you, I would just go drink alcohol," and asked, "Do you think you’re going to go to hell or something?”

The complaint also alleges that DeBonis made repeated comments about the student's weight. On a separate occasion during Ramadan, DeBonis is said to have told her, "it’s good that you’re fasting during Ramadan, maybe you’ll lose some weight." The lawsuit also claims that DeBonis called her "obese" and assigned her a three-page paper on obesity before allowing her to use the restroom.

According to court documents, the student reported the alleged bullying to her guidance counselor and then to the principal. The lawsuit states that when DeBonis learned the student was being moved out of her class, she asked other students in the plaintiff's presence, "who snitched to the principal?"

The lawsuit contends that the bullying and harassment led to "physical manifestations of emotional distress as well as personal hardships including anxiety, adjustment problems, sleep disturbance, humiliation [and] mental pain and anguish." The complaint specifies that DeBonis did not "mock, shame or make inappropriate comments to light skinned non-Muslim, non-Egyptian students."

Kathie DeBonis retired following the 2023-2024 school year, after the alleged incidents but before the lawsuit was filed. State pension records show she is now receiving an annual pension of nearly $70,000. As of press time, neither DeBonis nor the Bridgewater-Raritan School District and its legal counsel have issued public statements regarding the lawsuit. The district has until August 29 to formally respond to the suit, and the litigation remains ongoing.