The Morongo Unified School District hosted a town hall meeting last night to discuss the ongoing issue of bullying in the school district. More than 100 people, including District teachers and parents of students, were in attendance. The meeting began with an overview of current California laws related to bullying and the legal definitions of “bullying” and “cyberbullying.” Later on; a panel of 14 people comprised of District site administrators, mental health professionals, teachers, and parents of students tackled difficult questions on what to do about bullying. Reporter Andrew Dieleman gives us a summary of the answers…
At last night’s town hall meeting, the panel was faced with a number of difficult questions on bullying. In answering the questions, the panel identified current programs the district has in place to prevent bullying; such as the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program and California’s Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS); clarified California law on suspending disruptive students, and outlined what parents can do to be proactive about, and address, bullying if it ever happens to their child. Throughout the meeting, the panel repeatedly addressed the need for a consistent system for dealing with bullying, emphasized that additional communication between the school district and parents of students was critically important, and ended the meeting stressing that no student should ever be forced to endure bullying or any situation that makes them afraid to attend school.
After the meeting, moderator Amy Woods stated that the information from the meeting would be used as the District’s first steps in addressing bullying in the district.
What can parents do when their child is being bullied?
Panel: Parents can begin by notify their child’s school as soon as possible so that appropriate action can be taken. This includes notifying the principal of your child’s school and your child’s teacher(s).
How can parents be proactive about identifying bullying?
Panel: Stay in constant communication with your child and talk to them daily about what is happening to them at school. This is, perhaps, the most important thing that a parent can do to help identify bullying as soon as it happens. If the child is reluctant to talk about school or a bullying situation, it is advised that parents continually contact their child’s teachers for updates. Teacher contact information, including emails and phone numbers, can be found on the school website or by calling the school directly.
What programs are currently in place to prevent bullying in MUSD?
Panel: The Morongo Unified School District implements two main anti-bullying programs. The Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) system is a program where students are taught about behavior in an effort to proactively encourage good behavior and minimize the chance of negative behavior, including bullying. Additionally, the District also employs California’s Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS), a comprehensive framework that creates a support system for students by aligning academic, behavioral, social, and emotional learning. Other programs are employed at individual schools throughout the District and the district is currently working to introduce more anti-bullying programs.
Why are bullies not suspended more often?
Current California Senate Bill 419 prohibits the suspension of students K-12 for disrupting school activities. The new SB 419, which becomes law in July 2020, further prohibits students in 4-8 grade from being suspended for willful defiance of the authority of school personnel. This makes the suspension of disruptive students, including some bullies, difficult.
What authority to teachers have in their classroom to stop bullies?
Teachers may re-assign seating for affected students or assign bullies to work in an isolated area of the room. If the bullying continues, the teacher may ask that the bully be assigned to complete their work in behavioral intervention.
What punishments do bullies receive from the district?
Panel: This depends entirely on the number of offenses and the severity of the offense. This can include the separation of the student from the class and notifying parents. Severe cases of bullying may be met with suspension and, in extreme cases, may lead to the eventual expulsion of the bullying student.
Why does it feel like the process of stopping the bullying is taking so long?
There is a process that must be followed when documenting cases of bullying. This process includes, but is not limited to, speaking with both parties involved, collecting witness testimonies, and in some cases, documenting any recurring instances of bullying. The process is time consuming and requires careful investigation to ensure that all information collected is as accurate as possible.
What can I do if my child is being cyberbullied?
It is advised that students take screen shots of messages that contain evidence of bullying and forward them to their school so that the school can get involved. Students are advised to delete bullies from their ‘followers” list or block notifications from them. Parents of students are advised to monitor their student’s social media activity to help identify instances of bullying that may arise.
What if a student is experiencing negative interactions that are not technically classified as bullying per the California education code?
Panel: Students should never be afraid to go to school. Any situation where a student fells they have been mistreated or makes them uncomfortable must be addressed, regardless of whether or not the situation fits the California Education Code definitions of bullying.
