I was really hoping to blog about how wonderful Christmas was (it really was) or how brilliant Esther is (it's true) or how much fun we all had yesterday (we did). Or maybe even how much I enjoyed "The Dark Knight" (I did...finally!) But, Joshua came into my room late last night, sat on my bed, and cried for an hour. Why? We finally got it out of him that he has been unhappy since the middle of October and has been pretending all this time because he didn't want other people to worry.
As near as we can tell, sometime in the middle of October, Joshua became the victim of a bully.
Since that time, he's been teased mercilessly, and even physically assaulted (the bully body slammed him). He has not felt safe enough to tell anyone...not even David and I...until last night. He doesn't feel that his teacher can protect him. He is unhappy and afraid.
I am livid.
I got online last night and looked up the Granite School District policy about bullying. Among other very vague and confusing statements it says this:
A continuum of intervention strategies that emphasize education shall be made available
to assist students whose conduct falls short of reasonable expectations.
Isn't that saying that help will be provided for the bully? What about my child! What about the other poor children who are his victims? Isn't the teacher supposed to be disciplining this student? The picture we got was that on occasion she will reprimand him, but that's it! The entire document can we found at this link.
I've requested a parent/teacher/principal conference. In the email I was polite and non confrontational. David, the more threatening of the two of us, will not be attending the initial meeting. I will call the school first thing in the morning on January 5, 2009 to ensure that the meeting happens (hopefully in the afternoon of Jan. 5). We are having Joshua talk to a counselor (we asked, he thought that would be a good idea). We are praying that our home sells quickly so we can just remove him from this horrible situation.
Meanwhile we'll be spending some extra time with Joshua.
The mama lion is on the loose.
Family Vacation 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
Jungle
Posted by Patti at 5:54 AM
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7 comments:
GRRRRRR!!! Put Josh in my class and I'll beat the snot out of any kid who picks on him!! He's definitely smarter than most of my 5th graders!
Seriously though, his teacher and principal really should be doing something to discipline the bully, despite the "vagueness" of the school district policy. For example, at my school, there are some prevalent cases of bullying. So far this year, we've already had the district police involved in one case that resulted in a three day suspension of the bully. And with the mama lion on the prowl, things can be done to protect the cub!
How sad and frustrating! I hope things go well at your meeting and it can be taken care of.
So Sarah tells me you're considering Bingham high school? Well, it's a fabulous idea, I must say... and that's not just because I'm a counselor at SJMS, one of their feeder schools. I highly recommend it, either way, for all your kids! I'm so sorry about Josh; I hope he knows how much he's loved! Good luck with everything, Patti-- and Merry Christmas!
Holy Heck! You need to talk to my cousin... her son was/still is a victim of bullying. This child is not only in his school, but also in his primary class as well. I hope that you are able to get this sorted out and that Josh gets the help and care he needs and deserves as a child and as a human being too. Patti, You're awesome! Don't forget it! (and tell Josh I think he's amazing too!)
Ugh. I completely understand the Mama lion bit. Poor Josh.
Geeky me I didn't even tell you the most important thing! At SJMS, we have a zero tolerance policy for bullying, i.e. bully alerts every day, kids are always reporting and helping to prevent it as well. Just ask my principal... she's OBSESSED about bully prevention! Yay for mama lions!
This broke my heart! My Yakko was a victim of bullying, and I attest to the "mama lion" thing that happens... keep your chin up and please don't hesitate to take action! Meanwhile, please give Josh a hug from me.
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