As far as the letter -- I guess there were other incidents this month involving AHS students -- students attacking each other with deadly force using a lead pipe. Another student begin robbed at gun point, hit over the head and requiring stitches.
I spoke with 5 kids and only 5 kids since last Wed about this issue. One was a former AMS/AHS student who left the district to attend Berkeley High after the bullying was too much. One was an AMS 8th grader who was attacked (punched, kicked, hit) on Cougar Field last school year by the same kids who have harassed my son for years. One was a student who has suffered from RELENTLESS attacks online and in-person intimidation by the same group of kids doing this same thing to Tupac. One was a student who is daily called "Terrorist" and "Sandnigger" at AMS. One was a student whose leg was injured when she was pushed down the stairs at AMS in 2010! My point is that this is 5 kids with 5 stories all of which felt the district & police response is inadequate.
There are other parents who have written me as well about their child or a friends child. Often saying they have been driven from the district. I've also heard (but yet to confirm) that there have been two suicides within the district that may have been in part do to social marginalization/bullying.
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If your kids want to be driven to school -- ask why? Ask them if they've seen racist, sexist or homophobic name calling? Ask them what kids are marginalized and why (listening carefully to what words they refer to kids)? Ask your kids what is the line between teasing and bullying?
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Since this LATEST event occurred I have not been officially contacted back by the district. I went over to the district office and demanded the uniform state complaint form for bullying. Super. Marla then appeared and we had a conversation she asked for evidence and summary. I provided that the next day. I have not been contacted back by the district. I also shared that EXACT information online as parents are very complacent (that can't be happening here) and blame the victim when it comes to school bullying and violence. I provided the same information to the Chief of Police and Mayor. I have not heard back from the Police Chief despite delivering evidence that should be investigated and move forward with prosecution.
This is a wider problem than the schools as events are bleeding out of the schools into the streets and out of internet into the schools and then into the streets. There is teasing, then there is bullying and then there is violence -- the cultural norm is that all are acceptable and underreported at AMS. If kids do report them in my opinion we don't have a sufficient handle on a system that works to resolve them and that complies with state and federal protections including criminal referral that is guaranteed to the victims.
So read the 30+ page document, read the kids actual threats, read the lack of school system or police response for just the incidents this year. I am not stripping out names but do understand the district's need for name privacy but they can and should talk about policy and if it is TRULY being enforced to at least the legally required minimum.
I won't let my son or other kids in the district go unprotected and allow the overall extreme low/lax social norms that have developed at AMS & AHS to continue which create a hostile environment for learning. I won't settle these issues by having the district settle it with just us privately/secretly and have the tax payers send my kid to a private school just because they think that is easier than the real work needed to fix the problems for every other kid.
It it tough enough to be a teenager -- we should not allow it to be daily hell.
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