Bully problem continues

[wade3504]

All school board members have been emailed and notified of what is going on and letters are following through the mail. We have contacted a lawyer and she said if necessary we could go for civil action but to continue to press the police into filing charges. She tells us that if one police officer blows it off contact another officer. She says she's heard of civil cases that involved lunch money being stolen and this is beyond that. So tomorrow we are going to contact the first officer who came out the first time. We've now dealt with 3 in 4 different incidences but one of them was the same cop that we saw twice. We have also contacted parents whose children are in the same school. My husband has called the area superintendent again leaving a message this time that he wants to speak to her and her only and that we are considering legal action for what is happening. So, this is to be continued tomorrow. I am exhausted and must go to work tomorrow but my husband will be taking care of things here and our daughter will be with him until he goes back to work on Wednesday and then she will be with my mother in law homeschooling until this is resolved as she is also not going to the middle school next year where this whole group of boys will be back together in the same school.

 

[Marty]

Amanda I am very proud of you!

Be sure you keep things documented. Get every single name you talk to and the date and the outcome of the conversation.

Matter of fact, you can go back on your own posts here from the get-go for that. Documentation of every thing that has gone on all year long is key.

As far as the media goes, this will be a very good wake up call.

 

[susanne]

we'd also talked to her teacher when we went to get her stuff from the classroom and he said how he was done with the kids in that school and no one doing anything about it and that he was leaving and going to another school in the fall.

Ask this teacher if he will help -- he may be too worried for his job to testify, but he may give you behind-the-scenes support, have some ideas on the best approach, and be a powerful ally.

As for the school board members, quite often they do this to promote their careers or as preliminary steps for a political career. The bottom line is that they want to build name recognition and a good public image. When you speak with them, make it clear that you are taking this public and will be naming names.

You also need to speak with the state legislators for your district, your state school superintendent, your governor, and your federal senators and representatives.

Next, Google local rape and violence prevention groups or national groups with local chapters. You will find some powerful, vocal advocates for your daughter -- get some righteous anger on your side!

Does your newspaper have a columnist who writes about injustices? Give them something to sink their teeth into.

Whoever you speak to, ALWAYS ask if they can recommend others for you to contact. Your list will snowball.

 

[SampleMM]

Does your newspaper have a columnist who writes about injustices? Give them something to sink their teeth into.

I am not certain that a newspaper would run this type of story, but you could alway write a Letter To The Editor (most local newspapers have them). You would have to sign your name to the letter and we most always will run them unless it is against a private citizen but in this case you could direct it toward the school and their lack of response.

I am proud of you too! It's not always easy doing the right thing. This type of crap makes me want to go back to college and become a lawyer. I am and always will be a child advocate.

 

[barnbum]

You're sending an awesome message to your daughter... she matters; you care; she is loved. And so much more.

 

[~Lisa~]

Susanne that is a brilliant idea one I would have never thought of. For sure contact some rape and violence against women groups.

Good thinking!

 

[susanne]

I am not certain that a newspaper would run this type of story, but you could alway write a Letter To The Editor (most local newspapers have them). You would have to sign your name to the letter and we most always will run them unless it is against a private citizen but in this case you could direct it toward the school and their lack of response.

I'm not suggesting shge propose this as a news story.

I'm suggesting columnists who cover human interest stories and those who advocate for the downtrodden. The Oregonian has several such columns, and it is hardly a groundbreaking publication.

If you're in a small town, look to your state's major newspaper.

A letter to the editor is a good place to start, but I would not stop there.

You might also check out any "counter-culture" weeklies in your area, even if they are not what you'd normally read. If you were around here, Portland's muckraking Willamette Week would jump on your story and slice and dice those idiots.

 

[wade3504]

Between last night and this evening we have got some people paying attention now. A representative from the school board has contacted my husband, the area superintendent's office has contacted us, Channel 5 news has contacted us and is interested in the story, and the principal of the school has called my husband, me, and my mother in law. My mother in law spoke to her but by the time my husband was able to call her back she was gone from the school for the day. The school board has spoken with her and we are told she needs to speak to my husband or me. None of them have yet to tell us that she will be allowed to transfer to another school and we aren't stopping this until she is and we have told them that. We told them they have until Monday at the latest for our daughter to be back in a public school or we will be back with our lawyer again. So these people are not liking the heat that is being turned on but it is going to continue until she is in another school. We are told that this bully got the max punishment the school district can give (not sure what that is and they won't tell us) but they have yet to make us happy. We should know more tomorrow.

Thank you so much for the advicer of contacting the school board. I should have done that when all this started months ago.