A Pennsylvania judge is defending his decision to have the School District of Philadelphia pay more than $500,000 for failing to stop a student from being severely bullied.

Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Gene Cohen last week outlined his reasoning to the Commonwealth Court for a ruling he made in May, which held that the School District of Philadelphia was liable for failing to stop one of its students from being severely bullied, and needed to pay $500,000 in damages to the student, as well as $578,000 in attorney and expert fees.