Providing more money and people to help students deal with “bullying,” whether it meets a code of conduct definition or not, got attention and discussion for the second straight Barrow County Board of Education meeting Tuesday night.
Board members Garey Huff Sr. and Rolando Alvarez urged the BOE and administration to “prioritize” providing more attention to the question of “interpersonal” behavior among students.
Huff noted the district’s code of conduct has a definition of bullying and “it’s important that we enforce that. I’m not sure we’re enforcing that as rigidly as we should.”
Board members and administrators said “bullying” is commonly used for behavior that does not necessarily meet the definition of that term.
“I don’t think talking about it as ‘bullying’ is very helpful anymore,” Ken Greene, assistant superintendent for support services, said.
He said he would like to “break the misunderstanding” that the district does not deal with behavior problems that does not reach the level of bullying. He said all behavior problems are dealt with.
Vice chair Lynn Stevens said a perception exists “that we’re not taking this seriously and we actually are.
“Bullying is not going to be tolerated in this community if we know about it,” she said.
Superintendent Chris McMichael said he believes principals and assistant principals are “doing a great job.”
“I hear we have a perception of this (bullying),” he said, but when specifics are sought, details become sketchy.
“Let’s don’t stick too strictly to a definition,” Huff said. “Let’s don’t wait until it’s happened (multiple times) and a kid doesn’t want to come to school.”
See more in the April 11 edition of the Barrow News-Journal.
Say what you will, the "Behind the Gym" method was effective and didn't involve politicians .. of course back then we didn't have "safe spaces" .. didn't need them ..
wjs