Report: Judge Finds Ridgewood Student Bullied Girl, Called Her 'Fat,' 'Horse'

An administrative law judge on Tuesday rejected an appeal brought by a Ridgewood boy and his father, ruling that the boy had bullied a girl at B.F. Middle School and meant to "insult and demean her," The Star-Ledger reported.

"A reasonable person should know that repeatedly calling a teenage girl ‘fat’ or ‘fat a**’ would have the effect of emotionally harming her," Judge Jeffrey Gerson wrote, according to The Star-Ledger.

The Ridgewood school district found the boy culpable under the new Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights, passed into law two years ago. His father had appealed the ruling and sought to have it stricken from his son's file, the Star-Ledger reported.

The boy admitted calling the girl "horse," but denied calling her other names, the newspaper reported. Judge Gerson found his testimony "contrived and not convincing."

The case will now go to the state education commissioner for a final ruling. Commissioner Christopher Cerf has 45 days to uphold, reject or modify the ruling.