Bullies

[Denise110]

How do you deal with bullies?
My ds 11 has been having a problem with a 8th grader on the bus. He throws things at my son and hits him. One time he said he took his glasses. My son says he has told the bus driver but the bus driver does nothing. Yesterday the boy took my sons math book. So he wasn't able to do his homework.

So here's my delima my ds lies constently. My ds is no angel either. So I don't know how much of this 2 believe. I don't want to open up a hornets nest and find out my son is part of the problem. (been there done that) but he's said something about this boy all year bulling him.

How would you handle this?

[TexasMom]

One thing that struck me when I read your message was the math book. It seemed a little convient to me after all, why would the boy take the math book and nothing else?

But one suggestion, you might want to talk to the school councellor. My son had major problems with a bully at the beginning of the year and the councellor was a big help

[Madison]

Hi,
You might want to request that your child sit UP FRONT on the bus. Just explain he's been having a little trouble and would PREFER him being close to the drive. They WILL do that at parents request.

On the issue of "Who's doing what" I would TOTALLY feel like you on that call. I think I wouldn't say anymore than possible. Believe you me if your child was having problems or they think it's your child causing the problems they WILL contact you. I WOULDN'T do anymore than request a seat UP FRONT and make sure your child knows what is going on. They are complaining about the other student and now your doing something about it. It shouldn't matter if they are sitting up front with the bus driver or in the back. That way you can just deal with the bus driver instead of involving the school.

Hope this helps a little....Take care....Madison

[camismom]

I agree with the others. Call your school's transportation dept. and talk with this bus driver. Explain to him that your ds is claiming to have trouble with another child and you would like to request he be assigned a seat near the driver so the driver can keep an eye on him. Also, tell the driver that if he ever notices your son instigating troubles, to call you and let you know.

Next, get with your son's teachers and ask if they are noticing any problems at the school with this boy. Alert them to the possibility of a problem and let them keep an eye open.

If you find out the problem is not your son, then stay on the school like "white on rice" until they do something about it. My dd was having trouble with a bully earlier this year (this girl rides the bus with her and is in one of her classes) and it took several calls with the asst. princ. but something was finally done. Girl hasn't bothered Cami since!

Good luck!

[Madison]

Just yesterday my boy and friend BOTH 4th graders were BEAT UP by two high schoolers!! They slapped my child several times in the face and this other boy too and knuckle punched his back! I was upset about it! Didn't hear about it until yesterday evening when we were all out to eat. He said "MOM...the bus driver saw everything and didn't do anything but maybe stop it once and that was AFTER the fact!" The bus wasn't rolling it was parked for transfering kids. I too HATED to call the school about this. My child and other boy went to princible office and complained and she was to take care of it. I HOPE they were able to throw those kids off the bus for awhile!!!! Here my kids is only 60 lbs so I know it really HURT him!

well, I had to share with you...madison

[Denise110]

Horray ;D for once my son wasn't lieing. He has to carry a behavior sheet everyday so I wrote on the bottom of it to his math teacher: That an 8th grader took his math book so he was unable to do his homework. Her reply was my ds should have called someone and got the problems. This burnt my but. For one it wasn't his fault an 8th grader took his book. He doesn't have any of his class mates phone number, and we don't have a home telephone.
We'll back to the point the principal called the boys to the office and made the other boy return his book.


About the bus I've talked to the bus driver he want assigns seats. I tried to get him to assign my dd a seat behind him last year. He wouldn't. She was suspended about eight times from the bus. Finally this year her gave her an assigned seat. The kids tell me thay tell the bus driver when other kids are bothering them, but he does nothing.

Here's an example: My dd and another little girl decided to have accussing match on the bus a couple of weeks ago. We'll my son was suspended for 5 days and nothing was done to the little girl.

The bus driver is old. He tells my son he is going to retire soon. I wish he would hurry up.

[TexasMom]

Madison, why don't you call the police if the schools don't do anything? You would have a good case for assualt.

[mskris]

Madison: Firstly, why are 4th graders on the same bus as high schoolers??? That's weird, to me.

Secondly, this is clearly a case of assault. I'd go to the High School Principal and threaten to call the police if he/she doesn't punish the two high schoolers. I'd also file a complaint with the school board - maybe they can get on the bus driver's case and also manage to separate these young kids from the violent older ones. I would definitely do all this in writing so to document. High schoolers attacking 4th graders is UNACCEPTABLE!! I'd also look up their parents' phone numbers and let them know what happened and that you intend to follow through...

Good luck.
Kris

[Kimmers]

My Kindergarten son has been complaining of first graders bullying him around and calling him a "crybaby" and things like that. If he tells the recess teacher she just says "go play somewhere else." Well he says they just follow him around and he has a hard time getting away from them. My son even says that it keeps him from playing with his real friends because they won't leave him alone. So here he is isolated because of these older boys and the recess teacher looks the other way! I don't understand why each grade can't have their own recess time to avoid this?! He has even mentioned names so I have debated about calling the school and telling them to be keeping an eye out for these boys.

Kimmers

[TexasMom]

Don't wait, go to the school. You have to nip this behavior in the bud. If possible, you might want to observe the recess first, but DEFINATELY get the school involved.