To the editor:

Congratulations on your recent 8th grade graduation from Wilbur McMahon School to those who bullied my daughter relentlessly, and to their families who failed to stop the behavior.

You know who are. Some of you refused to meet with the school when asked to come in to address your child’s torment of my daughter while she lay in Hasbro Children’s Hospital fighting for her life. To be fair, the school’s lack of discipline only perpetuated the actions of your children, and the behaviors continued right through the final week of school.

While you celebrated, we mourned. We mourned for the loss of time. The loss of innocence. The two precious years of childhood that my daughter can never get back. While you celebrated, we cried together. We cried because the actions of your children forever changed our family. Our daughter continues to fight for her life daily. A horrible, terrifying, lonely battle waged against the demons your children forced into our lives. While you celebrated with your families, our family sat in a hospital comforting our daughter — her life standing still while your children’s lives go on with no consequences, no remorse.

Little Compton is a small, demographically homogenous town, but outside of its boundaries lies a world full of diversity. I caution you to stop teaching your children to hate. I know they have bullied others in the school whom they perceive to be different from them. They have been lucky. They have been protected by a small school in a small town with small town bureaucracy.

In September, they will go on to a high school outside these borders, and they and their bigoted, racist, misogynistic views will become the minority. Society no longer tolerates hate, and your children will find themselves on the other side of the attack. Irrespective of your personal prejudices, it is reckless to teach them to your children. The six convicted for the suicide death of Phoebe Prince, Brock Turner, Omar Mateen — bullies, misogynist, homophobe.

To all the other parents, I pray that your family never has to be on either side of childhood bullying, as the consequences can be devastating for both families. I also hope that under its new administrative leadership, the Wilbur McMahon School will finally take a stand against bullying on campus, that the laws outlined in the Statewide Bullying Policy will at last be followed, and that the staff and students will take a stand against the few who target the most vulnerable in our community.

Nicole J. Osborne Despres

Little Compton