A Coral Springs, Florida mom recently sued her son’s school board because she says her 12-year-old son was bullied this past year. This bullying, she said, caused her son “pain, fear, humiliation and social isolation.”
But the twist is the mother is not seeking monetary compensation. Instead, she wants the school board ordered to segregate bullies at her son’s school and to conduct behavioral intervention programs aimed at reducing or eliminating bullying. She also wants the school to provide a better means of security so that her son can attend school in a safer environment.
When it comes to the issue of bullies and who’s to blame, there’s a lot of finger pointing. It’s the parents fault. No, it’s the school’s fault. No, it’s the violence on TV. And on and on ad nauseam. The truth is in order to stop the rise in bullying a partnership between parents and the school system should be put into place. I applaud this mother. She certainly has a right to assure that her son is able to attend school without the fear that some kid will bully him.
By the same token, parents should not hide their heads in the sand if their child is the bully. Toward the end of the school year, a child in Tyler’s class had gotten really out of control. He was spitting on kids, pushing kids, knocking items over in the classroom. He was even suspended from school. Now, mind you we are talking about a six-year-old child. It was suggested to the mom that she take him in for counseling because he was exhibiting some really violent and angry behavior. But the mother claimed he didn’t behave this way at home. His sister, however, said the mother was not telling the truth. She said he had beat her (the older sister) up several times.
For the principals and the school boards out there- adapt better practices for dealing with bullies. Expel them from school if you have to. I like the idea of making them attend behavioral programs. Many of these kids can be helped if we intervene early. School should be a place for learning not a place where kids dread going to or worse fear for their safety.
See also:
Are Parents to Blame for School Bullying?
Why Do Children Bully at School?