A policy on bullying and an agreement with Emporians for Drug Awareness will be reviewed and voted on at the Emporia board of education meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Mary Herbert Education Center.
Teachers from Lowther North and South intermediate schools, Emporia Middle School, and Emporia High School will present a curriculum report about the district’s “Literacy First” program.”
Also among items on the agenda are summer school staffing for this year, a Kansas Learn and Serve grant application, an agreement for Flint Hills Learning Center, approval of an energy manager grant application, bids for district and food service supplies, a change order for the track and field project, and approval of meal prices for 2010-11.
Executive sessions are scheduled to discuss negotiations and to consult with an attorney on an unspecified topic.
jasper007 (anonymous) says...
I thought there already was a "bullying" policy, albiet a very weak one. Bullying in Emporia schools has gone on forever. That's one reason we took our child out of the Emporia school system and placed him in the outer county schools. I believe the Emporia school system should step up to the plate, because it is more prevaliant then they WANT to see.....
May 8, 2010 at 2:29 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
I'd like to see the Emporians for Drug Awareness do something besides the tired old idea of putting red plastic in the fence along 6th Avenue at the 6th grade. Surely there is an activity with more impact than that.
May 8, 2010 at 2:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
citizenT (anonymous) says...
Our children were bullied more in one of the "outer" country schools than they ever were when we moved them to Emporia. Bullying policies really need to start at home. Children learn these behaviors by watching and emulating the adults that raise them.
May 8, 2010 at 7:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mslater (Matt Slater) says...
Bullying has been going on forever. Why, there is actually an amendment to the US Constitution that deals with bullying, and it shall not be infringed. ;-)
Matt
P.S. - Its a great day in Emporia!
May 8, 2010 at 8:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
joycecrawford (anonymous) says...
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
May 9, 2010 at 8:53 a.m. ( permalink )
admireed (anonymous) says...
A good punch in the nose is the best way to stop a bully
Edward McKernan
May 9, 2010 at 3:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Unfortunately Mr. McKernan, many bullies today have gangs and weapons, and they look with great displeasure at a "good punch in the nose."
May 9, 2010 at 3:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
supernanny (anonymous) says...
It doesnt matter if there is a policy or not on bullying the district wont do anything about it. My daughter was just excused for the last 3 weeks of school because she was being threatened, and it was easier for them to excuse her than it was to kick the other child out of the school, and take the chance of other parents finding out their children were in danger. You can bet I will be at this meeting and would love to hear what they say on this.
May 9, 2010 at 6:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
admireed (anonymous) says...
create, what good is talking? Is there more or less of this than there was 40 years ago?
Edward McKernan
May 9, 2010 at 10:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Sorry Ed, I think there is more of it now than 40 years ago. 40 years ago, my children were in school and I remember that the kind of bullying going on then consisted of minor taunting that could easily be settled by "a punch in the nose."
Nowadays, however, bullying is more brutal when groups actually gang up on one. It is often silent such as a type of shunning. Worse, that shunning can go so far as being done on the Internet in various chats or blogs where kids go. How do you punch that in the nose?
We've seen national news of how Internet bullying has even lead to the victim's suicide.
Also, don't forget that bullying can also involve serious physical damage when several gang up on one and weapons are involved. Have you seen some of the serious beatings taking place on some of these videos that get posted on the Net?
May 10, 2010 at 9:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
BTW, one of my granddaughter's has been bullied recently to the point where she did not want to go to school and kept having a number of non-specific "illnesses" that would require her to stay at home. Her grades plummetted. It took awhile to find out that one kid in school was responsible for this and he got others involved to deride her.
The trouble is, it often takes a good deal of time to get to the bottom of things. By that time, grades are down, the kid is despondent, and weeks have gone by.
I wish all it took was a poke in the nose.
May 10, 2010 at 10:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
I started school 40yrs ago, bullying is not new. It existed back then, "gangs" did as well. Kids establish pecking orders from pre-school on, it's nature at work. Like students hung out together, rich kids, poor kids, black kids, hispanic kids, asian kids, farm kids, trailer park kids, each forming their own little "gang". The gang members would watched out for each other, come to the other's aid if needed. There was strength in numbers. Kids really are mean as the saying goes. The kids that had trouble learning to read and write or do simple math were made fun of, called dumb dumbs or dummies by other kids and were tormented on the playground. The kids who dressed funny, in old or torn and or dirty clothes because their parents couldn't afford better were made fun of, unless they were good in bombardment or kick ball and then they were readily accepted. There were kids who got teased because one of their parents had made a mess of their hair cutting it at home. There were kids who got teased and tormented because they were ugly, fat, clumsy, unathletic, real skinny, big nosed, wore glasses or smelled bad. The bullys from grade school often turn into the nerds and geeks in high school, some changing into the very image they made fun of in their early years. That is exactly what happened with the kids who made fun of my weight from 2nd thru 5th grade. I was able to brush off the teasing, it did not make me weak, it made me stronger. By our Freshman year, those "bullys" wore pocket protectors and had multiple layers of tape on their glasses, had really bad acne, had terrible problems with their voice change, dressed like Urkel etc. They nearly wet themselves whenever someone they had teased in grade school walked towards them. The "gangs" were less pronounced in High School back then but yes they existed. They were the jocks, the heads, the ropers, the brothers, the amigos, the viets, the laos, etc. They did the same things "gangs" of today do, but once a fight was settled, everyone licked their wounds and it was done. Today's punks just go get more help or weapons when they get beat. Gangs have been glorified enough in the media that they try to live up to that image. The schools will not be able to change that.
May 10, 2010 at 10:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lookingin (anonymous) says...
I have actually been impressed with the action taken by EMS staff when bullying incidents have occured that were targeted toward my child.
May 10, 2010 at 11:15 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
admireed (anonymous) says...
Create, Appreciate your response.
Edward McKernan
May 10, 2010 at 3:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kseyetie (anonymous) says...
As these comments suggest, this is a difficult and ancient problem. Cain and Abel come to mind. We are potentially violent apes and need help learning how to be civilized. Most bullies at school watched their dad bully their mom or some other family member bully a younger member. These behaviors are learned and can be unlearned, with time and patience. Keep up the work on this issue, Emporia schools.
May 11, 2010 at 7:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
supernanny (anonymous) says...
I am very disappointed with the schools.. My 5th grade daughter was told by another child he was going to bring a gun and shoot others, and the school did nothing then last week when this same child threatened her again. They still have done nothing...the child is still walking the halls, and probally threatening others. When I demanded they do something with this child to keep mine and others safe. They excused my child from the last 3 weeks of school. I am sure in hopes to silence us so others would not know there is a problem. This is not right. If there is zero tolerance policy in place...why is this child still in school and mine is home having nightmares and scared to leave the house?????????? We have been told they are "investigating" it and that no teachers heard it. So since no teachers heard it I guess to them it didnt happen. I just hope that this boy does not follow thru on his threats, cause they had the chance to stop it!
May 11, 2010 at 7:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
schooler (anonymous) says...
And here goes another article that our community wants to judge before they know the facts. The state has recently required every district to adopt a bullying policy, so as a result USD253 has written and adopted a policy and put it into place. Yes, bullying has always occurred, but school districts are trying to be more proactive instead of responsive. Teachers and administrators can only take care of bullying if it is reported. If the school doesn't know about it, how is it supposed to be handled? Even if parents report it, something can be done. The other side of this, is that there has to be proof-punishments can't be handed out simply by one report. As sad as that seems, its the same way about a crime committed. I can say in every school I have worked in, bullying is taken very seriously and usually handled immediately upon reporting. The problem arises when people are scared to report it or don't want to be a snitch and allow it to go on.
May 11, 2010 at 9:43 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
supernanny (anonymous) says...
Schooler - In our situation it has been reported everytime. I have watched the administration try to brush us off, and intimidate my child and make her believe she does not know what happened. Its not right!! And more than one student reporting the same thing is not proof?? What do you consider proof before punishment should be given?
May 11, 2010 at 10:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
EMS (anonymous) says...
Bullying doesn't only happen with students, either. There is an awful lot of bullying that goes on between teachers and from administrators to teachers. Where's the policy on that?
Check this out for more information about what's really going on out at the middle school if you're interested:
http://emporiamiddleschool.dyndns.org
March 23, 2012 at 11:27 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
EMS (anonymous) says...
There is more new content at emporiamiddleschool.dyndns.org . Take a look to find out what's really going on at Emporia Middle School.
April 16, 2012 at 11:29 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )