Zero-tolerance bullying policies in schools are more complex than most parents realize. “Zero tolerance” sounds straightforward, but the policy is not. Because the policy is so complex, bullying persists.
Schools must follow specific guidelines before expelling a student, even if the case involves physical assault.
According to the National Association of Psychologists, suspension is the most common disciplinary action mandated by zero-tolerance policies for a wide range of offenses.
Even though the Salcedo family begged the school to do something about Diego’s bullying and Diego told a teacher about it, the Assistant Principal got involved and said she would change Diego’s class schedule so he would not have to deal with the bullies. However, nothing happened.
In this case, there was no zero tolerance, and a young boy died because of it.
It has come to light that bullying caused another close call with death. In Maryland, a second-grader was hung in a bathroom by an older boy. However, the incident was called “horseplay” in a letter sent home to parents.
Carrie Burke, the principal of the elementary school, wrote, “This afternoon, two of our students were reportedly acting up in a school bathroom when one student’s jacket got caught on a stall door hook.
The student was stuck and the other students involved were also stuck and unable to help them.” “One student left the bathroom to ask for help from staff and then told administrators what happened,” Burke said.
“Administrators arrived and were able to help, but staff called 911 for extra medical help just in case.” I can not give you any more information because I want to protect your privacy.
Why the fuss?
The alleged hanging hurt the second grader so badly that he or she had to be taken to the hospital. In a Fox News report, the boy’s mother said, “He is traumatized.” After being choked, he has marks under his eyes and on his neck.
In his medical records, it was written that the young boy had a neck contusion, which is caused by a blow to the neck.
Even though the school said something, the parents were still curious about what happened. Some people think that the older boy, who was in fourth grade, was picking on the seven-year-old.
The thought does not make sense to me. How do you get caught on a hook when you are having fun? We need to know. It is important to me to know what is going on, and we will not stop until we do.
Online rumors that there had been a “cover up” of the event were put to rest by a statement from the school on Sunday.
It said, “Neither the principal nor the school system are hiding anything.” In its place, we are sharing what we know while we do a full investigation.
The investigation is still going on, but it is being slowed down by rumors about what did or did not happen and the spread of false information.
The kid, who was 7, could have died while he was on that hook. No school wants to get a grade that says they did not follow zero-tolerance, which led to serious injuries.
Even so, attackers usually end up back on school grounds because the policy is so hard to understand.
People who break the rules are not always kicked off campus; in fact, that does not happen very often. Students must write down what happened and give school districts a deadline.
They must then investigate, make sure that complainants are safe from retaliation, and keep records of complaints and how they were resolved for at least one review cycle.
Policies against bullying and “zero tolerance” make it sound like they are written in a vague way. States, like California, might want to take a closer look at the “complexity” of the policies, especially after reading these two stories.
Tell the school right away if your child has been bullied. If the school follows its own rules, which are meant to protect the person who filed the complaint, and the bullying still happens, you should talk to the Superintendent of Schools.
Be strong and keep fighting for your child’s right to go to school without being afraid.
Both of the families in this article are in our thoughts and prayers. We hope that these events will change schools’ policies on bullying, which are supposed to be “zero tolerance.”