The reading comprehension exercises in Monique McClain's workbook leave her frustrated.
For the last two months, she hasn't done much because she has been out of school after she said classmates bullied her.
She was getting homework assignments from teachers at Woodrow Wilson Middle School in Middletown, but not anymore. Not even a lawyer and a state marshal could get her the assignments.
"There's not much to do when you're not in school," she said, seated at her kitchen table.
School district officials would not comment, saying the issue is confidential.
Monique's mother, Alycia McClain, said they have her permission to talk, but she knows they won't. She thinks that while the bullying made Monique stronger, if she goes back to school now the bullying will be even worse.
"Who knows?", she wondered. "She's already considered a snitch because she comes home and tells us what's going on. That's what started all this. If Monique had come home every day and kept her mouth shut and continued being bullied, harassed, pushed down, stuff being thrown at her - if she came home every day and didn't say anything, we wouldn't be here now."
Local
This month, Sergio Martinez dedicated his middleweight victory at Foxwoods to Monique, who takes boxing lessons herself.
What should other seventh graders do who find themselves in her position?
"Try to let people know about it so you can get the help that you need," she said.
"I think she sees her grandmother and her mother trying our best to get her the help that she deserves," her mother said. "What about the school? They just don't care."
