Alleged Bullying Leads to Police Complaint, School Officials Continue Investigation Too

Huntington Middle School (BOE file photo)

Privacy concerns limit the amount of specific detail that Flowers can release to the media.

A teacher/mentor has been assigned to the student. According to policy, after any incident, he is to report directly to the teacher at the school. The Board has a strict anti-bullying policy where discipline can range from suspension to expulsion.

Flowers, himself a former victim of bullying, stated,  “ We don’t want any student to be afraid to come to school.”

He stressed that “To address bullying is quite difficult in that it is not always overtly obvious.  I will say I think it is encouraging that our principals, teachers, counselors, and even central office administrators are personally involved in the issue and are taking the accusations seriously.  They have met many times with the boy and his parents and will continue to do so until his needs are addressed.”

Flowers explained that staff at the middle school have so far “not been able to substantiate any of the claims made.”

But bullying can come in many forms in addition to physical assault or “beat you up” threats. Having been emotionally, physically, and psychologically bullied from the Fourth through 12th grades in Cabell County schools (albeit decades ago), the repeated belittlement through teasing impacted my academic performance (still maintained a B or above average), but robbed me of self esteem, self confidence, and developing of relationship forming skills.

The 21st Century has brought ‘bullying’ to media attention, especially after the violence responses at Columbine and other incidents in which bullying played a role. Unfortunately, how many victims had to put up with the continued fear and belittlement year after year after year? Most of the bullying in my case originated in physical education class. My physician then had good intentions, he wanted me to “pace myself” with asthma. But, the other students were not cognizant of the need to “pace myself” to prevent an asthma attack, no, they called me names , slapped me, or hit me in the head for not being athletically inclined.

At that time --- and as late as the 1990s --- boys will be boys plagued the system. Some officials (both school and judicial) felt that circumstances should be settled “on the streets” without interference by grown ups.

Reporting incidents should not come only from the victim. They must come from potential victims. But that’s the cyclic continuation of bullying --- anyone who “tells” then becomes the victim. Or, at least, they are so frightened of becoming a punching bag, they pretend nothing has been seen or heard.

Flowers emphasized that the mention teacher assignment is an attempt by the school system to ensure the Henderson boy “doesn’t fall through the cracks.”

In addition, Flower said the Cabell Board has asked  “our school resource officer was instructed today to pull the report personally to see if there is anything in it our staff can address.  I am sure the police will investigate some of the neighborhood issues which reach beyond the school's scope of control.”