The DGE will appeal the multimillion-dollar ruling for bullying in Mendoza: how far does the school's responsibility go?

That silent scourge of bullying , a daily occurrence in many Mendoza schools, returned to the public eye after an unusual ruling in the province this week: the courts ordered the General Directorate of Schools (DGE) to pay more than 4.5 million pesos in damages to a student at a school in Godoy Cruz who suffered systematic harassment for a year. The courts ordered the school authorities to pay more than 4.5 million pesos in damages to the victim. The victim ended up hospitalized at Notti Hospital for an anxiety attack. The ruling determined that the school failed to guarantee the victim's physical and emotional well-being. The DGE announced it will appeal the multi-million-dollar ruling.

The case reopens the debate on institutional responsibility and the urgent need to respond to peer abuse . Therefore, Los Andes consulted three national and provincial experts on the issue , who agree that this ruling sets a key precedent: it not only highlights the seriousness of bullying but also exposes the disconnect between school, family, public policy, and mental health.

They warn that bringing bullying to court is an exceptional and costly course of action, often resulting from several previous failures. While Alejandro Castro Santander highlights the symbolic value of the ruling, María Zysman sees it as a call to collective action, and Mayra Gómez, of the Mendoza Bullying Association (ABUME), celebrates it as an unprecedented legal step for the province.

For Castro Santander, an educator and member of the Argentinos por la Educación Observatory , the case reveals a structural problem: poor management of school coexistence. “Schools must not only guarantee education, but also the physical and moral integrity of students. There are protocols and regulations, but their implementation fails,” he maintains. What is surprising is that, despite repeated complaints, the school only drew up reports, without intervening in other areas. He even points out that separating the victim from the group, rather than protecting her, isolated her. And he warns: “Bullying is not a conflict, it is asymmetric violence, there is an abuse of power; therefore, the victim must be protected above all else.”

Castro Santander also warns of "underreporting" : many children suffer bullying and don't report it. The reason, he says, is that adults don't build trust. He celebrates the ruling's recognition of the school's civil liability, although he believes the compensation could be higher. And he suggests: Why not also investigate the liability of the offending families, especially when there is evidence of harassment, even by the aggressor's family?

Psychologist María Zysman, founder of Libres de Bullying Argentina , believes the case exposes a series of flaws. "When it's brought to court, it's because we all fail: the school, parents, and the educational community," she says from Buenos Aires. Far from seeing the ruling solely as a legal victory, she proposes thinking of it as an opportunity to review practices : "Accepting that bullying exists in a school speaks volumes, because it means they recognize it and are willing to intervene."

Zysman laments that institutions often deny the problem for fear of being judged . She notes the lack of coordination with mental health and psychopedagogical offices, a national tragedy. " We are broken as a society, and that shows up in schools . Children are the most vulnerable," she says. She also emphasizes the importance of working with the entire group, not just the victim and the perpetrator: giving child witnesses tools, strengthening networks, and building a safe haven from peers. " It's not solved with protocols or money : it's solved with careful attention, listening, coordination, and concrete actions," she concludes.

Mayra Gómez, president of ABUME , told this newspaper that the ruling is a historic step . "This case shows that schools are overwhelmed and without tools. But it also shows that families can take legal action when the State fails to respond," she stated. For years, her organization has offered legal advice to families whose children are victims. "This ruling sets a precedent for Mendoza and will open the door to new cases," she anticipates.

Gómez warns that the school is not responsible for bullying unless it allows the problem to continue . She criticizes the fact that in this case, only reports were filed, without exhausting stronger avenues of intervention. She also warns that changing shifts or schools can cause the victim to become displaced. "Each situation is different and must be analyzed from the perspective of the family's pain," she explains. She emphasizes: "Support must be comprehensive: institutional, legal, and emotional."

Specialists agree that addressing bullying doesn't end with sanctions or regulations . They demand a systemic approach, coordinating schools, health care, government policies, and families. And they call for genuine listening and an effective protection system for victims . As Zysman says, "Bullying is present in all schools, across all socioeconomic levels. And when it occurs, children expect adults to rise to the challenge."

In fact, according to recent data from the Argentinos por la Educación Observatory, more than 40% of children who experience bullying do not report it . Most try to resolve it alone or, if they're lucky, tell someone close to them, rarely a teacher or an adult. In this context of silence, fear, and limited institutional response, experts insist that this is not simply a conflict between peers and is far from being "a kid thing."

The Mendoza General Directorate of Schools (DGE), when contacted by Los Andes about the recent court ruling ordering it to pay compensation to a student who was a victim of bullying, confirmed that it will appeal to the second instance, but declined to elaborate on the details of the case.

Carina Ganam, Director of School Support at the DGE (General Directorate of Education ), stated that the problem of bullying is addressed from a preventative perspective. “We have mechanisms in place to prevent it, but we can't act solely from the school; the family has a primary role ,” she stated. She emphasized the need to coordinate messages to strengthen respect among children, adolescents, and adults, in a social context where “violence is embedded in discourse at home, in clubs, among political leaders, and among social leaders.”

Ganam also mentioned the implementation, starting in 2024, of the 148 hotline for reporting school violence and bullying, as well as regular visits by DAE technical agents to schools, with systematic and monitored interventions, the results of which, he promises, could be ready this year.

The official insisted that the problem doesn't originate in the school, but manifests itself there . Therefore, she called for a joint commitment among the school, families, and the community to address it. "We are taking action; but we have undoubtedly evolved technologically and regressed on the human level," she concluded.