Zero Tolerance Policy for Bullying, Hazing and Harassment in Schools #ChangetheCulture
Zero Tolerance Policy for Bullying, Hazing and Harassment in Schools #ChangetheCulture
The Issue
The culture in schools, especially small towns, is that "damaging" events should be shoved under the rug with a slap on the hand. Keep it hush, hush and minimize damage to the entity, ignoring the person being hurt. This is no longer acceptable and we demand change!
There is no room for a lack of accountability or a disregard for the complete safety and well-being of children in schools. We have seen the direct result of this attitude with an increase in children suicides, mental health issues, violence, school shootings, and more. What more will it take? When will it end!? We should not be waiting for something to happen close to home to want to invoke change. Every day, a child is being bullied, harassed, hazed, or abused in our schools and lack of response is not only allowing this behavior to happen, but is ultimately encouraging it since there is no real accountability or punishment.
The perfect example of this happened just the other day when Caldwell High School's Varsity Volleyball Team out of Caldwell, TX took part in a heinous incident where four students forcibly held down their 14 year old teammate on the school bus ride home after playing a game, and stripped her down until her genitals were exposed, despite her fighting back and repeated attempts to tell them no and to stop! Meanwhile, there were FOUR coaches/adults on the bus with the students. Nothing happened and none of the other students on the bus spoke up or stood up to protect the child who was being sexually abused and harassed. Texas Penal Code is supposed to protect children from anything like this ever happening, and yet, the next day at school the students were back in class and any other students who walked out in protest were the ones punished with suspensions. Why? Because there's too much flexibility in the codes that are being written for our schools. What message is this sending to our communities and our kids? It reinforces the idea that if you speak up, if you stand up for injustices, if you do the right thing you will be punished. However, those who are committing these injustices will get off. Despicable acts like this "may" be subject to punishment. That's the message we're sending, which means there is too much freedom that allows terrible behavior such as this to not only happen, but to continue without accountability. It's no wonder kids don't want to discuss their day, shut down, and ultimately hurt themselves or others.
No more. We can not afford to ignore the health, safety and well-being of our children especially by those who are sworn to protect them. Not only should this not happen (period) in this day and age, but especially should never be able to be gotten away with in a public school setting. Even worse? We allow nepotism, money, politics and other influences to overrule this protection. In the case of Caldwell, TX, the 18 year old student who lead the act and did the most damage (even after getting back to the school after the bus returned, she told the victim's sister who was picking her up that they basically just raped her), is the daughter of a School Board Member. This same school board which has not taken any action, demonstrated they are not taking this seriously, and has made comments that infers they do not think a crime has taken place that demands proper action.
Join us to demand change. Change the culture and take away any gaps that allow this type of behavior to continue scot-free. Zero tolerance needs to mean just that. ZERO. If you commit the very damaging and serious act of bullying, sexual harassment, sexual abuse, harassment, hazing, or any other act that hurts another child mentally or physically, there should be consequences and zero room for just a "slap on the hand." School Codes of Conduct and laws that govern them should be iron-clad to protect our most valuable assets, the children and future of this world.
TEA & UIL: http://a.msn.com/01/en-us/AAQdEOQ?ocid=se
2,536
The Issue
The culture in schools, especially small towns, is that "damaging" events should be shoved under the rug with a slap on the hand. Keep it hush, hush and minimize damage to the entity, ignoring the person being hurt. This is no longer acceptable and we demand change!
There is no room for a lack of accountability or a disregard for the complete safety and well-being of children in schools. We have seen the direct result of this attitude with an increase in children suicides, mental health issues, violence, school shootings, and more. What more will it take? When will it end!? We should not be waiting for something to happen close to home to want to invoke change. Every day, a child is being bullied, harassed, hazed, or abused in our schools and lack of response is not only allowing this behavior to happen, but is ultimately encouraging it since there is no real accountability or punishment.
The perfect example of this happened just the other day when Caldwell High School's Varsity Volleyball Team out of Caldwell, TX took part in a heinous incident where four students forcibly held down their 14 year old teammate on the school bus ride home after playing a game, and stripped her down until her genitals were exposed, despite her fighting back and repeated attempts to tell them no and to stop! Meanwhile, there were FOUR coaches/adults on the bus with the students. Nothing happened and none of the other students on the bus spoke up or stood up to protect the child who was being sexually abused and harassed. Texas Penal Code is supposed to protect children from anything like this ever happening, and yet, the next day at school the students were back in class and any other students who walked out in protest were the ones punished with suspensions. Why? Because there's too much flexibility in the codes that are being written for our schools. What message is this sending to our communities and our kids? It reinforces the idea that if you speak up, if you stand up for injustices, if you do the right thing you will be punished. However, those who are committing these injustices will get off. Despicable acts like this "may" be subject to punishment. That's the message we're sending, which means there is too much freedom that allows terrible behavior such as this to not only happen, but to continue without accountability. It's no wonder kids don't want to discuss their day, shut down, and ultimately hurt themselves or others.
No more. We can not afford to ignore the health, safety and well-being of our children especially by those who are sworn to protect them. Not only should this not happen (period) in this day and age, but especially should never be able to be gotten away with in a public school setting. Even worse? We allow nepotism, money, politics and other influences to overrule this protection. In the case of Caldwell, TX, the 18 year old student who lead the act and did the most damage (even after getting back to the school after the bus returned, she told the victim's sister who was picking her up that they basically just raped her), is the daughter of a School Board Member. This same school board which has not taken any action, demonstrated they are not taking this seriously, and has made comments that infers they do not think a crime has taken place that demands proper action.
Join us to demand change. Change the culture and take away any gaps that allow this type of behavior to continue scot-free. Zero tolerance needs to mean just that. ZERO. If you commit the very damaging and serious act of bullying, sexual harassment, sexual abuse, harassment, hazing, or any other act that hurts another child mentally or physically, there should be consequences and zero room for just a "slap on the hand." School Codes of Conduct and laws that govern them should be iron-clad to protect our most valuable assets, the children and future of this world.
TEA & UIL: http://a.msn.com/01/en-us/AAQdEOQ?ocid=se
2,536
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Petition created on October 29, 2021