Dear JCPS,
I am writing this letter in frustration of the JCPS System’s lack of concern for the bullying that is taking place every day in their schools. My family has been through hell and back since joining this school system in 2012. I have been to 4 different schools in the past 4 years and each time it was in reference to one of my children being bullied and for 4 years NOTHING has been done. JCPS is SUPPOSED to have a ZERO TOLERANCE rule for bullying, but I have not seen this reflected at all and I’m very disappointed in the teachers, principals, and staff that I have encountered at every turn. To help you better understand why I come to the point of writing this open letter will begin at the beginning.
My children and I moved to Louisville, KY in 2012. My oldest daughter who is now serving in the U.S. Navy started her junior year at Western. She became star student here first few weeks there and everything seemed to be going well. She was a A-B student and mostly kept to herself. She then began being bullied and I called and spoke with a staff member there about my concerns and nothing was done. My daughter told me not to worry about it as she knew nothing would be done about it and I didn’t follow up.
In 2013 I discovered that my son had started self harming because he was being bullied about his skin complexion. I spoke to the counselor at Conway and she suggested that he seek additional counseling but never spoke on the bullying my son revealed to her.
The same year his twin sister also began being bullied by a girl at the school. It got so bad that her 7th grade year her grades began to drop and I took her out of Conway because again nothing was being done about the bullying. I cried when I went up to the Board of Education and was told that I mostly likely would be denied a transfer and it was best to just home school my daughter. How can that be the only option? Why is there nothing being done about the bullies. Why does the person that is being bullied have to rearrange their whole life? I sent her to Nebraska with a family member and she finished the year with straight As at a private Christian school.
She came back her 8th grade year to the SAME SITUATION. It was the SAME GIRL AND THE SAME SCHOOL. My daughter was even pushed down in the hallway by this girl as she was talking to a teacher and NOTHING WAS DONE. I went up to the school twice. I even called the police and told them to meet me there because I had had enough. A report was supposed to be filed and followed up on and NOTHING WAS DONE.
The 8th grade vice principal while discussing courses of action looked me in my face and simple said “What would Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. do?” What kind of ignorant remark is that to me asking is something going to be done to this girl for putting her hands on my daughter? I was outraged. The staff at Conway middle did nothing and the bullying continued. I called the superintendent’s office and they routed me right back to the school!
My youngest daughter who is a honor’s student is now attending Carrithers Middle School and is having the same issues with a group of girls in her class. She told me that she has informed her teacher and the counselor about what she has been experiencing and NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT IT. Where is the ZERO TOLERANCE JCPS?
Oh but wait, I’m not done.
On March 11th 2016 I received a disturbing call from a counselor at PRP High School. She informed me that my daughter the same one that was bullied throughout her academic career at Conway Middle, that is now a freshman, NO LONGER WANTED TO BE HERE. She sent a text from the bathroom to her best friend telling her GOODBYE. My daughter who had already lost two friends to suicide this year could no longer take being bullied and wanted to end her life! Now, I had been to PRP twice in reference to my daughter bullied. I had a conference with the teacher because it was taking place in his class and all he could tell me was he never sees the guy doing anything only my daughter’s reaction. He then says the boy is a model student but then in the same breath says he has spoken to him several times about his behavior. He also had to let me know the boy plays football, as if I cared. NOTHING WAS DONE AND THE BULLYING CONTINUED.
As a divorced mother of 4 with 3 in school and a business to run, I do not have time to continually show up to these schools and absolutely NOTHING is being done. My next steps will force JCPS to take a long hard look at their policies and procedures when it comes to bullying. My children will not be treated this way any longer and I know I am not alone. My daughter had to be hospitalized and has had her life once again dismantled because no one in the school system will do their job. I vow that I will fight with everything that I have in me to ensure that no other parents will have to go through what I have been through in the last 4 years. I ALMOST LOST MY DAUGHTER! This is the straw that broke this mother’s heart and back and I will get the results I deserve.
Signed,
A Fed Up Mother
Fed Up Mom- I am so sorry it has come to your daughter trying to take her own life. My daughter and I have dealt with the same kind of bullying and the same reaction from the school staff at Stuart. The Zero Tolerance on bulling is a joke. The girl who was bullying my daughter was bullying everyone. Throwing books and other things at students in the classrooms, verbally abusing and physically fighting with students. After my daughter had filed several complaints with the counselor, phone calls from me, the girl receiving several referrals a DAY and being suspended a few times, the principal told them to quit writing referrals on her. After hearing that, I told my daughter to knock her the f out! My daughter cried and told me she couldn’t do that, she would get in trouble. I told her, “not with me.” My daughter also told me she couldn’t hit anyone. I told her when she finally got fed up that she would and not to worry about being in trouble with me because I would be right there by her side backing her up, defending her right to stand up for herself when the school obviously thinks this other girl was allowed to do whatever she wanted without consequences. I don’t condone fighting but there is a point where a child has to stand up for their self and that’s when the adults in the situation are not protecting our children. A couple months later my daughter came home proud of herself, telling of how she lost it after the girl threw a book at her head in class and she stood up and shoved the girl out of seat into the floor. That’s the last time my daughter had an issue with this girl. My daughter didn’t get in trouble but I was ready to stand up for her if she would have. My daughter starts at PRP next year and you can bet if she has issues there, I will be in the school every day making the staffs life hell until they do something. If that don’t work, then maybe we should all get an attorney and fight this school system on their incompetence of their own Zero Bullying Tolerance. The bully should not have the easy life, they should be the ones transferred to another school when they have this many write ups and suspensions. JCPS should be held responsible for their inactions. Keep fighting for your daughter!
Good afternoon, I know this post is old, however i have had and am having the same issue. Only this time the bully’s parent is an employee at the School (Newburg Middle School). I along with many of you will continue to fight for my/ all children. My daughter too has expressed that she no longer wants to be here any longer, her sleep is off as she wakes up like clock work every morning at 3am, she walks around almost as if she is broken. This is breaking my heart… I have equipped J.C.P.S with descent, respectful, moral having, and rule abiding children. And in return im getting broken, abused, and mentally unstable children. Absolutely not exceptable!!! I do not and will not except that “child being bullied just needs tougher skin or a back bone or already had low self-esteem ” bs the school system likes to feed parents”. I have tried everything and i have reached out to everyone i could have, counselor, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent ( refused to speak with me the first 7 attempts, then when she did speak with me it felt forced and the assurance she offered was null and void 5 days latter), and the superintendent( whom has yet to respond to an e-mail, or a phone call). I know he( the superintendent) has alot he is doing, however if he gets calls about bullying and it is effecting a child to the point they no longer want to be in this world, seems like this “loving, caring father” and Superintendent would want to step in and address the issue or issues at the school and help prevent suicides occurring from school related bullying..Surely bullying is of or should be a priority on his agenda !!!! Sad when a human being regardless of position, cant show concern, compassion, for the children or even intrest in a broken system( Schools, and leadership) in which he ( the superintendent ) is now in control of…Im still not 100% sure of what exactly i can do to help prevent/ and stop bullying in schools, but what i do lnow is there is strength in numbers/ voices… If anyone has/ had or knows of anyone who has or had a child at Newburg middle School please contact me and together lets see what were able to accomplish.(Shalondatinker1976@gmail.com) If i can in anyway help anyone of you dealing with bullying, please let me know. I will keep everyone and your beautiful children in my prayers.
Thank you
Shalondatinker1976@gmail.com