Claim Is Filed in School Beating

The mother of an Orange middle school student brutally beaten by classmates on his birthday has filed a negligence claim of more than $1 million against the school district.

“It takes a price tag of this size for them to take notice,” the boy’s mother, Robyn Worden, 40, said Monday. “I hope this will open their eyes.”

The administrative claim, often a precursor to a lawsuit, was filed by Worden on behalf of her son. It was received Monday by the Orange Unified School District.

On Oct. 5, three Portola Middle School students, all 13 at the time, allegedly pummeled Jeremy Worden on his 14th birthday, during what students said was a ritual that got out of hand.

The boy spent five days in UCI Medical Center’s intensive care unit with a bruised spleen and has been home-schooled since.

Two of the alleged attackers have been expelled and a third will have a final expulsion hearing next week in front of the district Board of Trustees. All three have been charged with assault. Trials are pending.

Students at Portola have said it was customary for children to playfully strike those celebrating birthdays, but called what happened to Jeremy an aberration. School officials have since cracked down on the tradition.

“We were all shocked and disappointed and surprised and very sorry that the incident happened,” said Orange education board President Robert Viviano. He declined to comment on Worden’s claim because of potential legal action.

Viviano said Portola and district officials have improved student safety since the incident, including hiring a second administrator in charge of district campus security.

But Worden said that is not enough. She wants to see more uniformed police officers at Portola, where Jeremy is scheduled to return this month.

Worden’s claim alleges Portola officials, including former Principal Grace Campillo and Assistant Principal Sheldon Glass, failed to provide adequate supervision for the students.

“The whole system failed Jeremy that day,” Worden said. “I don’t want to see this happen to another child.”