The victim, a First Nations person, doesn’t agree racism is a problem at the school.

Queens RCMP have now laid various charges against Harmony resident, Coby Merry, 19, for alleged Sept. 21-22 incidents that led to facial reconstructive surgery for then 17-year-old Molega Mines resident, Megan Forrest.

A large rock hit Forrest in the face Sept. 22 at the Queens County Exhibition Fair grounds.

She said, “My cheek bones were broken in seven places, my eye socket was broken in one or two places and my sinus cavity collapsed.”

Her jaws also had to be realigned.

“I’m still spitting up blood and it’s been a month. It’s really nasty,” she said.

Her vision in the damaged eye is still “doubled,” she added, meaning she will probably need eye-glasses, and her family physician has advised her she might need surgery again because the two sides of her face are no longer proportional.

Physicians also advised her the rock’s impact point was about two centimetres away from killing her, she said.

Merry has been charged with assault and uttering threats for the Sept. 21 incidents and for assault causing bodily harm for the Sept. 22 incident. He is appearing in Liverpool Provincial Court on Nov. 6.

Megan’s grandmother, Debbie Freeman, who Forrest lives with, alleged Merry and some of his acquaintances have been verbally and physically bullying Megan since a relationship ended in Feb. 2005.

It got to the point Megan needed medication, “but the medication was worse than being bullied,” she said.

She also alleged the bullying spread to the school through name-calling, snide remarks, and pushing, et cetera, but the administration didn’t do much about it. “It won’t stop,” she said.

She said she believes much of it has to do with racism, which is both present-day and historical in nature, towards First Nations persons.

“I went to school up there and because we’re native people, we were picked on too. I had to fight more battles for my own five children than anyone should have to.”

Forrest said she doesn’t believe it’s racism, but that bullying is increasing at the school. “Now, it’s anti-racism and people are more aware. Actually, a lot of people say it doesn’t really matter.”

Of bullying, however, she said, “It’s starting to get a lot worse. Our school used to be quite decent. I never got bullied when I was younger.”

Principal David O’Quinn agreed, “There was an issue outside of the school that came inside.” He said it is a RCMP matter.

In general, however, he said, “We have bullying like everyone else and we deal with them on a case by case basis and follow our policies the best we can.”

He agreed with Forrest the school’s racism educational programs are helping stop incidents through awareness. “We have a cross-cultural policy when dealing with any kind of racial remarks.”

South Shore School Board First Nations Support Workers. The primary support worker for Queens County didn’t wish to comment.

Crystal and Jessica Jermey have expressed concerns about bullying at the school and, until recently, were also criticizing the administration for failing to stop young people from bringing knives to the school.

Now, however, Crystal Jermey said she is willing to praise the administration, which is working harder to engage all persons involved with bullying, racism, and related incidents, including parents, the bullies, victims, and support workers, to improve the situation.

A message was left for O’Quinn about the stepped-up campaign assertions but he didn’t respond.

Jermey promised they, and others, would keep a cliché eye on the school to ensure it continues.

Jermey said cultural awareness programs are worthy because First Nations persons still hear questions, posed seriously, about the lack of wigwams and teepees on reserves.

She laughed. “One person asked me where my headdress was. And then there’s the scalping thing.”

Forrest tries to go to school as little as possible but, with permission, is still completing her work so she can graduate this year. She alleged she still receives comments from some of Merry’s acquaintances, which makes her feel angry.

“I didn’t think I could be there as much because I didn’t want to get in trouble. I just want to get my Grade 12.”

She said the situation at the school isn’t too bad because Merry is no longer a student. She doesn’t often go out in the community, however, because it is small and she sometimes meets Merry’s acquaintances.

However, she said, “Our school is good in general except for about 20 or 30 immature people who still bully people.”

She said some students have been afraid to go to school because, in her opinion, not enough was being done to protect them.

“How will they get an education if they don’t want to go to school?” She is happy more work is being done at the school to prevent bullying, which is why, despite her suffering and the possible repercussions, she is willing to talk about the issue.

“If I can help someone else, I’d be glad to.”