Parents say bullying led to fight | April 15
Help available on bullying
The father in this article states that he and his family were aware of his son's bullying for six months but claims it would have been fruitless to contact school officials or police because they would have done nothing about it. So, in essence, he found it in his son's best interest to have him involve himself in physical violence.
Parents have a duty to protect their children, undoubtedly, but they also have a responsibility to react rationally and take the necessary steps; violence is not one of them.
A law enacted in 2008 by Florida lawmakers, called the Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up for All Students Act, is named after a Cape Coral teenager who was bullied for two years without reprieve and committed suicide in 2005. The act "prohibits bullying and harassment of any student or employees of a K-12 public educational institution." The act mandates that school districts implement policies addressing bullying prevention and reporting of bullying acts. It calls for investigation, counseling, notification of parents/family members, resolution and other policies.
The family in this article, instead of reacting violently, should have used those six months to talk with school officials, contact police, or even reach out to advocacy groups for help and advice.
Robin Allweiss, Tampa
Robin L. Allweiss Esq., School Bullying and CyberBullying Attorney
