Parents of a third-grade girl who was removed from public school because of severe bullying should be reimbursed for her placement in a private school, a federal appeals court said Wednesday.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed that the New York City public schools are liable for failing to address the “reasonable concerns” of the parents who repeatedly saw their child come home from school in tears.

The case of the child, referred to as L.K., drew the attention of the U.S. Department of Justice and Department of Education, which supported the family's position in an amicus brief in T.K. v. New York City Department of Education, 14-3078-cv.