“I don’t think he’s ever had an enemy in his life,” Rachel Lemister told the Shawangunk Journal about her son, 14-year-old Levi, who was assaulted with a Stanley cup by a student at Rondout Valley High School on October 8. The alleged attack broke his nose and resulted in him being taken to the hospital.

According to Rachel, Levi is the type of student who helps other students when they fall during sports games, reminds others to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance in the morning and is “friends with everybody.” His elementary school teachers still attend his sports games.

But at the October 13 school board meeting, Rachel, along with Levi’s grandmother, Hannah, described an incident in which Levi’s typically positive experiences at Rondout Valley took a turn for the worse. A student who had recently returned from a suspension for another alleged assault, Rachel said, struck him in the nose with a metal Stanley cup.

Rachel said at the meeting that one of Levi’s sisters was called to be with him, but his twin sister was not notified. Instead, she heard rumors that her brother was dead. Levi was taken to HealthAlliance Hospital in Kingston and would eventually see an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist.

“He said he felt okay because he's so terrified of needles. They sent him home. He came to school Friday because he is an honor student,” Rachel said at the board meeting. “[His nose] was broken in two spots. He suffered a concussion. He now has a deviated septum.”

Levi’s grandmother, who spoke after Rachel at the meeting, went into greater detail about his injuries. She described Levi as a well-liked, high-achieving student who was “in the classroom minding his own business” when the assault occurred. In an interview with the Shawangunk Journal, Rachel also said the attack was unprovoked.

“He sustained a broken nose, a laceration and a concussion. Blood and vomit were involved. He was transported via ambulance to a local hospital emergency room,” Hannah said at the board meeting. “He eventually saw an ear, nose, and throat specialist who performed a post-reduction to realign his nose and treatment is ongoing. No child should have to experience this at school, a supposedly safe haven. I'm especially concerned because this assault happened in front of two responsible adults.”

According to Hannah, the assault occurred in the presence of a school resource officer (SRO), a teacher and the rest of the class. For Rachel, who asked the board, “When does it end?” the incident points to a wider issue of bullying and student safety at Rondout.

Rachel told the Shawangunk Journal that Levi’s twin sister had two friends who were bullied to the point where they transferred to private school for a period of time.

Each year, the Rondout Valley district conducts a School Climate Survey, asking students and parents across its buildings for their perspectives on the district and where improvements can be made. The 2024-25 high school survey showed some concerning results regarding bullying: 34 percent of students disagreed that students respect one another, with 13 percent strongly disagreeing; 34 percent agreed that peers are often bullied, with 19 percent strongly agreeing; and 26 percent disagreed that teachers would stop bullying if it were reported, with 19 percent strongly disagreeing.

Rachel said bullying is often “brushed under the carpet” by administrators. She also questioned why students with known behavioral problems are not provided with specialized education to help ensure school safety while meeting their individual needs.

“The good kids keep getting bullied, and nothing happens to these kids that should be in BOCES, an environment where they have a one-on-one [teacher-student] ratio and people that can handle them,” Rachel said. “[The student who assaulted Levi] should have had staff with her. There should have been something put in place for this girl that they know is violent.”

Since the incident, Rachel said she has frequently run into Levi’s peers, who refer to her as “Aunt Rachel” and ask how Levi is doing. His former teachers have also called to check on him. While Rachel has tried to reassure her son and described him as tough, the injuries have disrupted his ability to participate in activities he enjoys, including soccer, basketball and flag football.

When it comes to bullying, Rachel said “everyone knows” it happens, but people sometimes lack the time or resources to demand accountability. According to Rachel, neither the school board nor the superintendent has reached out to her, and she still does not know whether the student who assaulted her son will return to school.

While at the hospital, Rachel called the parents of students she knew had been in the classroom when Levi was assaulted. She said the parents were thankful for her calls because the school had not notified them.

“It’s a lot of work to keep going back-and-forth to school, getting things FOIL’ed, getting this done, calling an attorney, figuring out this,” Rachel said. “It’s ridiculous.”

Rachel said she has not taken legal action against the school but is seeking advice on how to avoid having to pay the ambulance and medical bills.

“I’m standing my ground firmly with this. There are so many people out there that are senior citizens that pay a lot of money in school taxes and wonder why. It’s things like this,” Rachel said. “School should be safe.”

The Rondout Valley Central School District declined to comment to the Shawangunk Journal.