04-20-2012, 02:05 PM
Shockingly, a nine-year-old boy was suspended when he fought back the bully in a Colorado school. After standing his ground to repeated bullying, school officials placed the child on leave in what was clearly self-defense.
Citing a 4/19/12 report by Fox News, third-grader Nathan Pemberton was suspended Tuesday after he was involved in a fight at West Elementary School in Colorado Springs. Allegedly, without provocation, he was attacked by another student at the school. However, when he tried to protect himself from the bully, he was placed on leave.
"One kid kicked me in the back, then punched me in the face. Then I punched him in the face and then I got in trouble."
Nathan's mother spoke up about the matter. She said this was not the first time her child was pushed around by the bully. Faced with little help from the school, she told him to stand his ground if it happens again.
"Finally, yeah, we told him, if you have to, if there’s nobody else around, you do what you have to do. The school had told us and told him as well, just walk away. Walk away, find a teacher. Well, when those things happened, and he did find a teacher, there was hardly any repercussion," said Deborah Pemberton on the boy being suspended for fighting his bully.
The school responded by citing its policy that says if an altercation takes place, all parties are suspended, not just the bully.
This case brings to mind one that took place in Tampa, Florida last year about the state's new bullying policy. It involved a nine-year-old girl who was bullied by a boy. Reportedly, the child was called demeaning names, and even pushed on one occasion.
Ironically, when the mother reported the boy, the school suspended the bully, but he remained in the girl's same class upon his return. When the girl's parents complained, they gave her the option of relocating. In other words, the bully wins, and the girl has no other option but to leave.
Despite the passing of the Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up for All Students Act aka Jeff's Law by Gov. Christ in 2008, school administrators in Florida are still not addressing complaints properly, according to some parents. The trouble with policies regarding bullying is, the act must be repeated. One time is merely harassment, according to the rules. There also must be witnesses.
However, sometimes a single episode is all it takes for a bullied child to suffer grave consequences. Sadly, a spike in suicides is being seen because the victims feel the system is ignoring them, and they have no other way out.
The boy suspended for fighting back the bully may be an extreme case of things going haywire. However, it sheds light on the fact that, as Hillary Clinton once said, "it takes a village." Parents, school officials, and legislators all have a hand in finding a resolution.
Citing a 4/19/12 report by Fox News, third-grader Nathan Pemberton was suspended Tuesday after he was involved in a fight at West Elementary School in Colorado Springs. Allegedly, without provocation, he was attacked by another student at the school. However, when he tried to protect himself from the bully, he was placed on leave.
"One kid kicked me in the back, then punched me in the face. Then I punched him in the face and then I got in trouble."
Nathan's mother spoke up about the matter. She said this was not the first time her child was pushed around by the bully. Faced with little help from the school, she told him to stand his ground if it happens again.
"Finally, yeah, we told him, if you have to, if there’s nobody else around, you do what you have to do. The school had told us and told him as well, just walk away. Walk away, find a teacher. Well, when those things happened, and he did find a teacher, there was hardly any repercussion," said Deborah Pemberton on the boy being suspended for fighting his bully.
The school responded by citing its policy that says if an altercation takes place, all parties are suspended, not just the bully.
This case brings to mind one that took place in Tampa, Florida last year about the state's new bullying policy. It involved a nine-year-old girl who was bullied by a boy. Reportedly, the child was called demeaning names, and even pushed on one occasion.
Ironically, when the mother reported the boy, the school suspended the bully, but he remained in the girl's same class upon his return. When the girl's parents complained, they gave her the option of relocating. In other words, the bully wins, and the girl has no other option but to leave.
Despite the passing of the Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up for All Students Act aka Jeff's Law by Gov. Christ in 2008, school administrators in Florida are still not addressing complaints properly, according to some parents. The trouble with policies regarding bullying is, the act must be repeated. One time is merely harassment, according to the rules. There also must be witnesses.
However, sometimes a single episode is all it takes for a bullied child to suffer grave consequences. Sadly, a spike in suicides is being seen because the victims feel the system is ignoring them, and they have no other way out.
The boy suspended for fighting back the bully may be an extreme case of things going haywire. However, it sheds light on the fact that, as Hillary Clinton once said, "it takes a village." Parents, school officials, and legislators all have a hand in finding a resolution.