Mark Millican
A Murray County Schools official admitted Tuesday night that bullying is a “serious problem” in the school system. A school board member asked the parents of a teen who committed suicide in October why they had not brought the issue to the board since they have threatened the school system with a lawsuit.
Director of administrative services Dean Donehoo made the “serious problem” comment. He hosted a safety and school law breakout session after around 150 people listened to positive aspects of the system during a “Community Conversation” meeting. Other breakout sessions included finance, graduation, curriculum and the new North Murray High School.
But only the session on safety and school law drew a standing-room only crowd of around 70 people into a small Woodlawn Elementary classroom.
Donehoo chaired the session, and immediately the subject of bullying came up.
“Do you think that the schools have an issue with bullying, or don’t you?” asked David Long, the father of Tyler Long, a Murray County High School student who committed suicide in mid-October. “Because it was never addressed when we talked out here (earlier) tonight.”
“It would be unfair to say we don’t make a concerted effort to make our schools as safe as we can,” Donehoo said, mentioning the Positive Behavior System implemented in the system’s schools and on buses.
Tina Long, the mother of Tyler Long, said her son was bullied by a substitute teacher and alleged that students were threatened by teachers and staff members.
“The school system is allowing kids to get away with this, but adults also,” she said. “Bullied students are actually threatened with punishment ... you don’t want to take care of the problem.”
Donehoo responded, “If we didn’t want to take care of the problem, we wouldn’t be implementing the steps we talked about tonight.”
School board member Rick Mallett said he has grandchildren in the school system and believes they are treated well.
“If I couldn’t get anything out of the (school) board, I’d have gone to the sheriff’s department,” he said to the Longs.
“I did,” Tina Long replied. “Why are you not taking any action?”
Mallett noted, “I haven’t seen you at any board meetings (to talk about bullying).”
One parent who did not identify herself said, “Parents have to take responsibility, too — if my child bullies somebody, (my child) is going to answer to me.”
A girl who identified herself as a freshman, and later as Tyler Long’s sister Teryn, said she had seen bullying from students and teachers.
“Students who are reporting bullying are threatened with ISS (in-school suspension),” she said.
Donehoo was interrupted often. He said the system is dealing with two issues — bullying, and “insensitive things” some students say to other students.
“We punish when appropriate, and try to modify behavior,” he said, adding he was passing around a sign-up sheet for contact information and the system’s policy on bullying. He said his business cards were on a back desk for anyone to take and call him.
After the sessions ended, superintendent Vickie Reed was asked by a reporter what was being done about bullying.
“We started our positive behavior program and piloted it in five schools last year,” she said, “and implemented it system-wide this year. I went to a DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) graduation today, and that’s something we’ve been doing for years where we talk about drugs, peer pressure and how to be friends.
“If we’re aware of a child being bullied, we take care of it. We never turn our back on a child in the school system.”
The Longs have hired an attorney, who sent the school system an ante litem notice last week, required before filing a lawsuit against a government entity.
