Teen Bullying

[Carol Edwards]

Is there any attempt in the Union Schools to stop teen bullys - BEFORE - thier victims either commit suicide, or succumb to being killed or beatin ????

[innocentbystande r55]

Carol Edwards wrote:

Is there any attempt in the Union Schools to stop teen bullys - BEFORE - thier victims either commit suicide, or succumb to being killed or beatin ????

ma'am, im a debater and iv spent countless hours researching this issue front and back because it was a debate topic not long ago. the issue is how.

bullying in school isnt always caught by teachers, those who do (and i know a few) always say something.

but the worst is that you cant see. out of earshot of a teacher. and what's the individual to do? tell? that would only bring more ridicule, or so it seems to the individual

then cyberbullying comes in. it can be anonymous, or not. but generally unless theres any indication of assalt (definition of assalt is to threaten to harm another, as opposed to the common usage) theres nothing really that anyone can do.

unless the school can say that it happened there AND is affecting learning, it really has no constitutional right to step in.

the only ones who discover the individual's bullied state are close loved ones who happen to notice a differentiation in activity, intrests and geeral mood of the child. but yet how often do you go through your everyday life casually, rarely stopping to considder another?

this is especially difficult with adhd kids and those like them whose moods and aditudes are often hard to judge and connect to. and these are the kids who get bullied the most.

in conclusion ma'am, the schools are doing as much as they can because they care. but it's not their job nor their right to step out that far.but it is yours. i hope i answered your question thouroughly and i do wish you to know i feel your same frustration. i was one of those adhd kids. thank you

[UnionMother]

I can tell you what worked for me with the Union School District. I wrote a letter to the principal and the superintendent and told them the specific child or children that were inolved in the bullying...told them the particulars about the bullying and then told them if they did not start following the "bullying policies" written state and federal I was going to obtain an attorney and sue the school district for not protecting my child and allowing them to receive a proper education because emotional abuse. We had problems for five years continually with a specific child...they have not even looked at my child this year. My child for the first time in years wants to go to school and it has dramatically changed her moods and behavior. GOODLUCK!

[UnionMother]

So what are you saying..We are suppose to follow them to school class to class all day....sit with them at lunch and then drive them home? Im sorry but you are wrong. I dont know because I didnt look if you are in anyway familiar with our school district..they are not doing everything they could be doing for one and it is their responsibility to provide our children an education in a safe and abuse free enviroment. Our teachers are getting lazy. Im not saying all are teachers are bad. There are so many children in Union Middle and High you cant even walk down the hallways between classes. They have three times the students that either building can even hold. Im suprised one of the kids hasnt got knocked down and trampled to death honestly. Our schools need to be bigger and they have to increase the staff, quit making cut backs and expand the schools before they build a new "Art Auditorium". What the parents job is is to teach our children empathy, morals and respect. Your research doesnt pertain to Union, Missouri.

[nunyabusiness321]

Carol,

I don't believe there is any attempt by Union school officials to stop it. We have complained for years about it. If the victim tries to defend herself/himself "zero tolerance" will come into play and all parties are punished. How do you tell your child just to stand there and take punches?

We contact the school everytime something occurs no matter how small. We have consulted with an attorney and are documenting everything. Please put any complaints in writing to the school/school district and demand written responses.

[cowboy67]

You want to know what worked for me??? Teach your kid restraint. Let the bully push you around awhile. Let everyone see what is going on. Then...
You teach your kid to pop the bully in the nose. Let it get bloodied and the thug wont bother you anymore.

Teach your kids to fend for themselves and not be a bunch of woosies!! You can only turn the cheek so much before you either take charge or take the woosie way out and cut yourself or even worse, kill yourself!

Get your kids outside and let them scrape their knees a little instead of getting fat in front of the video games!

[Union parent]

The school is afraid to do what they know they should do. It's easy for them to punish the good kids for stupid things, but they're afraid to stand up to the parents of the little popular kids who are bullying their peers. They all think that they can get away with whatever they want to do...and they do.

To answer your question, they will never do the right thing until you force them to. Show up at school everytime it happens and force them to deal with it.

And for the person who said the adminstration doesn't see it, is full of it. They see it...some of them even laugh like it's some kind of joke. You should see what is allowed on the sports teams.

[UnionMother]

They have options on what they can do with bullies in the Union School District. They have a "special school" for children with behavioral problems located in the special services building at the Union Middle School...Im telling you get the Superintendant involved every single time...He will get tired of it and do something about it..my child is having the first good year since fifth grade. She actually wants to go to school!

[StopTheMadness]

When your superintendent is a bully them self, doesn't it only just trickle down the line?

[April Showers]

You have a Superintendent who is a bully himself so no wonder nothing is done about kids that bully. I'm pretty sure he thinks the bullying kids have done no wrong.

[Brian]

Kids today have so many opportunities to get help. I didn't when I went to school. Get the parents involved? Good luck, especially when the "Golden Child" sibling is behind half of the bullying. My parents thought it was a few isolated incidents, not daily abuse, but considering I was already getting it from my father, he didn't really care.

Kids today have so many options to PROVE what's going on. Cell phones and other common devices have recording capabilities we didn't have when we were kids that can get pictures, if not audio taunts. The bully tries to or does destroy the device? Get him OR HER for destruction of private property, and tell the teachers/administrators WHY they destroyed it. If they don't have a cell or don't have the opportunity to use it, then MAKE A RUCKUS. SHOUT BACK AT THE BULLIES EVERY TIME. EMBARRASS THEM. MAKE SURE THEY DO IT EVERY TIME SO OTHERS KNOW. If the abused kid gets physical in their defense, then the bullies have an opportunity to twist it back around on their victim.

Short term, the bullies may become more aggressive, but long term, they HOPEFULLY will be dealt with.

When I went to school, it was rare to hear about suicides and the reasons were kept quiet. I think all of the classmates we lost were accidents/health related, only one was a suicide, and that was right before our tenth reunion. These days, it's almost a common occurrence, which is DEPLORABLE. I was pushed to the brink even years later and still suffer from depression because of it.

Hell, "Golden Child" is still making my life miserable, as both parents are gone and he was put in charge of matters, and is using that opportunity to screw with us one last time, making up false accusations so we don't get our share. I've tried to argue his "Final Decision" (aka easily disprovable LIES) to deaf ears, including the lawyer's.

[anon1234]

My daughter was bullied in the union school system. She went to the officials like we have always told her and they did nothing. Nothing at all. The kid who did it didn't even get asked if it happened. She no longer goes to school there, along with some of her other friends whose parents also pulled them out because of the same sort of thing. Union School District is going to hell. The teachers don't care at all. The principals don't either. There are a few teachers who do care, but there are very few. I think Union needs to be investigated in many things.