TRAVERSE CITY -- In the halls, on the bus, or online, for some students there's no escape from bullying. A parent called us concerned about his son and how the area's largest school district handled the persistent problem. See what we uncovered about this growing trend in a Fact Finder Report.
Andy Marek is his son's closest friend and biggest advocate. And he does not hesitate sharing the boy's strengths.
"My son is very well mannered, caring and considerate individual. He really cares what other people feel and their feelings."
But those strengths maybe seen as a weakness in the predatory eyes of bullies.
About 2 months into the new school year Andy noticed his son seemed withdrawn. That's when he got a call saying there had been a problem at school.
Andy says, "This was the first I'd heard of anything and I learned there had been seven weeks of bullying."
Seven weeks of bullying, without notifying him. Andy's son said school leaders had been addressing the problem during that time and the solution was to have the two boys 'just ignore each other."
Andy says, "that kind of concerned me that that was all that was going to happen after seven weeks of bullying. The best option was just to ignore it. If a student had walked up to another student and punched him in the face or physically assaulted him they'd be suspended from school immediately."
I checked with Traverse City Area Public School Associate Superintendent Dr. Jayne Mohr. She says while every complaint is handled on a case by case basis, she say's the district's stance on bullying is clear.
Dr. Mohr says, "When we receive a report on bullying we take it very seriously. Safety is our first priority in TCAPS."
But the district's policy on bullying and harassment is only a few paragraphs long with no mention of contacting parents or specific disciplinary action.
While there is no state law on bullying, Dr. Mohr says there is an expectation that every school district will have a policy against bullying. The details are up to each district. TCAPS reviews its policy every year. But Dr. Mohr says the last time it was changed was a few years ago to address hazing concerns.
This despite the fact, that according to state reports I found through the Center for Educational Performance and Information, bullying complaints in TCAPS increased 3 out of the last 4 years. In 2006-07 there were 156 complaints, 186 in the 2007-08 school year, 141 in 2008-09 and last year, 2009-10, the district had 202 reports of bullying.
But Dr. Mohr says that may not be a true reflection of student behavior.
She says, "I think it's a matter of reporting and I think it's a matter of people being more sensitive to what bullying might be."
But for Andy Marek, increased awareness is the first step to stopping the problem at the local and state level.
He says, "There definitely needs to be a law addressing bullying. Especially because kids in our area are taking there own lives because of it. I don't want it to be my son or one of my son's friends. Something needs to be done and it's going to take the community."
As I mentioned TCAPS reviews its bullying policy every year and they are beginning the process again right now. What do you think? If you are outside of TCAPS, how is the bullying situation in your school?
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