Two mothers are speaking out against ongoing bullying in the Turner School District. They said the bullying is so bad, some kids don’t want to go to school.
“Well, my son was bullied to the point that he was not eating,” said mother Lee Ann Wright of her son who dealt with bullies in elementary school.
Wright’s nephew, a 9-year-old student at Midland Trails Elementary, said he wanted to kill himself because of the bullying.
“He doesn't want to ride the bus, he doesn't want to be at school, at all,” she said.
According to the Turner District website, bullying is prohibited. The superintendent is in charge of developing a plan to address the problem, which includes training for staff and students.
Assistant Superintendent Doug Powers told 41 Action News over the phone that communication is critical.
“When we do get reports, we act on it immediately. Obviously the first report is to the classroom teacher and building principal, and just as always, we want to take care of those things as soon as we can,” Powers explained.
Wright and another mother, Lindsay Burton, don’t believe the school is handling the problem.
"They don't call you. They don't tell you anything. And if your kid doesn't respond, what do you do?" Burton asked.
Burton said her son was often sent to a “buddy room,” which is time away from the rest of the class. Powers described the buddy room as a “safe space.”
"They sent them to the buddy room. That's their solution to every problem, is the buddy room,” Burton said.
By sharing their stories, Burton and Wright hope the culture will change within the district.
“We need teamwork,” Burton said. “Yep, that’s what it boils down to.”
“Better communication,” added Wright.
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Lexi Sutter can be reached at lexi.sutter@kshb.com.
