Are Children Really Safe at School?
I never understood how much bullying and violence actually happens at school. My son has come to me before and told me other kids will bully him or say mean things to him, but I didn't truly understand how bad it was. After parents watched the video of my son being assaulted and strangled, they messaged me to tell me horror stories of their own children suffering at school and how the school has done nothing to stop it. Children are afraid to come forward, they suffer in silence, and even commit suicide because they feel like there is no other way to escape the pain and suffering they endure at school. The children who are brave enough to come forward are not being taken seriously enough by the school. The victims continue to suffer because the consequences for breaking rules aren't severe enough to deter perpetrators from breaking them.
The school's reaction to my son being assaulted and strangled is a perfect example of how careless the school is towards acts of violence. To make changes and keep our kids safe, parents need to be aware of what is happening inside the schools and demand that proper action be taken so our children can learn in a safe environment. In case you don't know how lenient the schools are in punishment and the lack of safety measures, let me share with you the school's response to the evidence of my son being assaulted and strangled.
On January 23, 2023, my son was assaulted and strangled on the school bus by another student. I learned about the altercation when my son came home crying with red marks on his neck. The girl who harmed my son this day was also the same one who stole a toy from him months prior to which the school said they would “take care of it." I was sent this video from another student which made me realize how severe and traumatic this event was for my son and also learned that the video was actually the SECOND time she attacked and strangled him. I immediately went to the school to show them the video of the assault and pictures of my son's neck. Upon seeing this I was sure that the school would take proper action and keep not only my son safe but the other children on the bus and school safe too by expelling her. Surely, a child seen committing a heinous crime would get expelled from school.
This wasn't two kids fighting. This was one child continuing to attack and strangle another student. Not once did my son retaliate against her and he suffered emotional and physical trauma for it. The school was able to pull bus camera footage to show that she did indeed go back to my son's seat twice. The school said they couldn't tell me what action would be taken against the girl but that they would take care of it. I went to the courthouse and got a 2 week protection order for my son which noted that she was to remain a minimum of 50 feet away which I gave to the school. I found out from my son that she had come back to school after being merely suspended for a criminal act such as strangulation. How is that fair? How are you going to protect my son when you put her in the same environment as him? What example are you setting for other children who know and saw what happened and also see her return to school?
The school told me that they would make sure they don't have the same classes together, but my son told me that he passes by her in the hall and that she chose to sit behind him at lunch, knowing the protection order was in place. Not only did the girl not take this protection order seriously, but the school didn't either. When I confronted the school and told them to look at the camera footage they confirmed that she continued to disobey the protection order and that they acknowledged that they "didn't know she was sitting behind him at lunch." Of course they wouldn't know! They can't follow around every student that harms and bullies another student. So what are the schools doing to keep our children safe, because the "preventative" measures they put in place aren't cutting it.
From what I have been told, she is known for bullying but mostly bullies my son. He is an easy target as he is one of the shortest and skinniest children in his grade which was true for me growing up as well. The two friends my son had on the bus were afraid to come forward because they themselves were constantly being bullied at school and were afraid of retaliation. No other parents were notified that a strangulation attack had occurred on the bus or that the student who committed this violent act would continue sitting next to their child(ren). How does that make you feel to know that the school doesn't take the violence and crime that occurs seriously enough to protect our kids even when confronted with evidence?
When I got my son a two year protection order, the Judge who saw this video and pictures asked if the girl still attended the school to which I replied “yes.” The Judge was confused and asked if the school knows about this event and if they understand the severity and gravity of what happened. I asked the school why they thought suspension was enough for strangulation to which they replied, "We have protocols we have to follow and execute punishment according to the School's Code of Conduct.” If suspending a child for strangulation (which is a lethal form of violence) is following the school's protocols, then the protocols need to change. This child committed a felony under adult standards and suspension was the "correct form of discipline"? Something needs to change. This isn't just my child's life on the line, but every child that has been harmed and humiliated where the school did nothing. School's need to be held accountable for inadequately protecting
our children. They can't create a safe environment for our kids if they sweep these violent acts under the rug, hoping no one hears about them.
Do you know how many parents have come to me telling me their child were bullied, harassed, sexually assaulted, abused, and harmed at school and how they repeatedly go to the school asking them to do something and the school does nothing? These parents ask me what they need to do to get the schools to take action- and I have to say, "I don't know. The school has video of a crime and a protection order and they still only believed that suspension was enough to keep my child safe."
Not only do schools need to give harsher punishments to children who bully, threaten, and assault others, but they also need more preventative measures, like classes on coping skills, overcoming peer pressure, and thinking positively; classes that reinforce how precious and priceless each student is. School is hard enough without having to feel like your life is in danger too. Could we not set a little bit of time aside on a weekly or even monthly basis to help our children overcome the stressors of life? Our children don't truly understand the impact they make and the power of their thoughts but we can teach them. Setting time aside to teach these values can prevent reckless damage to people's lives. This event didn't only affect my son, but our entire family. And it didn't just affect him then, it will continue to affect him throughout his life. Trauma doesn't just go away because we ask it to.
School's won't admit to the amount of violence and bullying that happens at the school. Parents will pull their children out of school or never put their children in school if they believe the schools aren't keeping their children safe. We must hold schools accountable and I hope that shining a light on this instance, fortunately caught on camera, and on the school's reaction to it, will get parents to speak up and stand together to show the world that things need to change. I am heartbroken for all children who endure such traumas. I can't imagine how many instances go un-recorded. If the school is so permissive about this severity of a crime and the evidence of its occurrence, then I have little hope for the uncounted children who roam the halls begging for help. These children are our future. Their lives matter.
If your child has suffered at school, and the school has done nothing, please comment below. I believe if we stand together and show what is truly happening, that positive changes can be made. Everything we do or don't do makes a difference. I have had firsthand experience with flawed the system is and together we can protect our children by shedding light on this. Parents please share this everywhere until schools have no choice but to make necessary changes.
This photo was taken right after the assault
This photo was taken the day AFTER the assault
You are much more stronger than I am! I would be in prison right now… Please tell your son he was so brave in a situation where he shouldn’t have had to be brave. The school absolutely failed to protect him and failed to stand up against bullying! I hope you sue the school, and I hope law enforcement puts this chick in juvenile until she’s 18, or even better – charges her as an adult!
Former parent of Whitman student and sister to former teacher there, and I am glad you are bringing things to light. Principal only cares about his image. Stories about students being sexually harassed, fights IN the classroom, fights EVERY bell change. It’s not a safe environment and the principal is scared of the kids. Many years ago I said I bet they will get sued bc someone is going to get really hurt one day!
Hopefully Taylor can be appreciated for the blessing he is in this world and not be bullied and hurt like this again.
I have a 17 year old and a 14 year old in high school. My 17 year old is a girl who is. Ullied on a constant. Even been sexually touched having her. Boobs grabbed . She has reported so many times ive called and visited the school so many times. She was being threaten. The school wouldlook into it but then the bullys would say it was my daughter. They would even make stuff up. One day a grouo of girls licked my daughter in a room not occupied and started beating on her. Only one was suspended for just a few days. I had to put in to have charges made. I was told there was a way they had to do it. Said by the cop who was stationed to work at the school. Told me that juvenile depth. Would handle it. I would check on it ever so often then I get a letter that it was dropped because they don’t think the kid will do it again. Never mind what they already did . My kid had broken ribs and marks all over her. My son was sick for a bit but he came back to school and just being her brother the bull’s started with him. The school does nothing . Just a lot of talk. Why have bullying policies if they not going to inforce them. I’m tired of it. My son refuses to go to school he is a freshman and he is sick of it.im so frustrated. The schools don’t care it’s just a job . End of day they can go home and not worry till the next day and superintendents office is just as bad if not worse.
I grew up in FF County and went to schools there but that was 30+ years ago. I have friends who still live there, one even teaches HS in Fairfax. None of them have good things to say about the climate there. It’s totally woke. Taylor seems like he’s a good kid put in a bad situation. IMO – Pulling Taylor out of there is the best thing for him. Cases like this are a prime example where charter schools work well. I don’t think VA has many, we have tons in AZ. Best of luck to you and Taylor.
My son graduated this past year. So this story is from his first grade year he himself wasn’t picked on, however I volunteer and was a substitute teacher so I was in elementary school every day he was. I only know this because I was a substitute. There was a little boy whose mom was on meth and she pimped him out along with his little sister well he was taking it out on the kids at school he found a very strong handicap first grader that would hold the boys down in the bathroom and stuck Legos up their butts. They had to tell me because I subbed for his teacher and I had to make sure he wasn’t allowed in the bathroom with anyone else. He did this to several boys multiple times before they stopped it. The boys he did this too ended up being taken out of the school because the school would not do anything to the perpetrator. Same year there was another boy who was in 2nd grade who had been bullied since kindergarten by this one kid. The school knew this and yet they still put that kid in the same class as his victim. One day before I pulled my kid out the bully pushed the victim of the monkey bars and broke his collarbone. The doctor said 1 inch to the left and it would have snapped his neck. The bully didn’t get into any trouble and when they victims parents raised a fuss the school told them they would sue the parents if they ever talked about it. Needless to say the victim was homeschooled from that day forth as was my son. I didn’t care at that point I went to the school carnival and stood outside of the building. I told everyone who went past me about these two incidents. Those who knew me pulled their kids out while others thought it was too outrageous to be true. The school system in America is broken and useless unless their goal is to create criminals.
Sister is a former employee of this school and the principal is 100000 percent of the abuse and violence that occurs in this school and more. My niece was repeatedly sexually harassed for weeks and despite her teacherS(more than one!) bringing this to him, he refused to do anything.
Please raise heck about this principal. Students literally would try to choke each other out in the middle of class and he would blame it on the teacher. Your child should never have had to deal with this.
It’s wrong and total bullshit !!!!
Not only should she be EXPELLED
she should also face criminal charges !!!
Also anger management.
The school system won’t do a thing because she is black. That’s what she was taught by her hateful racist parents.
That’s the truth.
It happened to my child also .
I had to change schools.
The principal was scared of the mom.
What is going on in this country ?
Obviously there are issues at home for the bully; why has CPS not been called?
There’s no excuse for what she did to the boy they should put her in jail and accuser of battery against a minor no matter what color you are you should not put your hands on another person’s and this girl thinks that she’s bad, wait until she be in jail then she’s going to cry like a little girl instead of taking it out on that little boy and concerning the school board they should be in court too because this ain’t the first time things like this happen, it’s always happening and they always try to cover it up so the next time wend school try to cover up some incident like this they should be fine $100,000 a day until they get they act together then we’ll see how it goes. The mother of the youngboy should sue the School because like I say this not being the First time , they don’t listen they always try to high it enough is enough.
They’re not taking this seriously because your son is White and we have been forced to integrate with violent, uncivilized people that can’t take responsibility for their actions and will always claim to be a victim. Blacks commit the majority of violent crime in this country and the VAST majority of interracial violence. But we’re not allowed to point that out right? We’re going to continue to let our neighborhoods and schools get absolutely ruined, all for “diversity” and the virtue signaling copium of being a “non-racist.” Guess what fellow Whites? No matter how much you worship blacks, and say, “well, not all are bad,” they will always hate you; they will always see you as an oppressor; they will always be jealous; they will always see YOUR skin color. Always. Until us European stock start getting our grit and community back like our ancestors before us, we will continue to see videos like these over and over again. Address the problem: this has nothing to do with you being a military family and everything to do with your son’s skin color.
This is mostly happening to White and Asian kids. It’s happening everywhere. Right now home school is the only option. Make the sacrifices and do the work needed to give your children strong family ties and an education in safety with part of that education being how to get out of or de-escalate a conflict, and if nothing else works to defend one’s self.