Kindergarten Bullying

[cyclonespiker33]

As someone that doesn't have kids:

I would talk to the teachers about the incidents. If they basically say there is nothing they can do to punish the bully, I would tell my kid to retaliate.

 

[Clark]

Children that age have a flimsy concept of truth but you still need to follow up with the teacher because that's your job as the parent. Shoot an email to the teacher telling them what your son told you and ask her if she's noticed anything.

 

[Cyched]

Why did this get caved? Or did it start out here?

 

[Peter]

Go on the warpath and ask the teacher why they didn’t report the incident to you and demand action to protect your kids safety. If they don’t know about the incident, take it up a level to administration and don’t stop until they provide a plan you are satisfied with. Unfortunately you have to be one of “those” parents to get any meaningful change. That’s my experience.

 

[snowcraig2.0]

My son had a kid bullying him in kindergarten. Kid would take my son's blanket and water bottle and such.

One day my son had enough and basically choke slammed the kid. Never got bullied again. I took my son out for ice cream.

 

[Pitt_Clone]

Go on the warpath and ask the teacher why they didn’t report the incident to you and demand action to protect your kids safety. If they don’t know about the incident, take it up a level to administration and don’t stop until they provide a plan you are satisfied with. Unfortunately you have to be one of “those” parents to get any meaningful change. That’s my experience.

I don't recommend going on a warpath if the only information you have is what your 5 year old told you happened. You need to talk to them, let them know what your kid said happened and then get their side. If they verify what your kid said and still refuse to address it then sure, go on a warpath.

 

[TXCyclones]

Meet with the teacher immediately. If you get "lip service" about what your son should do rather than what SHE will do then immediately go to the principal. Escalate, escalate, escalate. YOU have to be your son's advocate. And document EVERYTHING, and follow up every conversation with an email stating exactly what was discussed and action steps.

 

[3TrueFans]

Go on the warpath and ask the teacher why they didn’t report the incident to you and demand action to protect your kids safety. If they don’t know about the incident, take it up a level to administration and don’t stop until they provide a plan you are satisfied with. Unfortunately you have to be one of “those” parents to get any meaningful change. That’s my experience.

Maybe start with a conversation before going the warpath route.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

If he doesn't ever learn to stick up for himself it will never get better. I know he's young for that but it's not anyone's choice how society treats them. I agree with trying to contact the teacher but don't tell your son. The bullies will only be harder on him if they know you're doing his work.

I was bullied as a child until I started learning to not care what they said to me. You have to be tough in this world. Children are particularly brutal.

 

[AgronAlum]

Thanks for the replies.

My wife exchanged emails with the teacher and she acknowledged the fact that there have been multiple reports of bullying by these two kids from other students and parents. The solution was changing desks but then incidents moved to the lunch room. Then to the playground. This specific child of our three is honest to the point he tells on himself if he does something wrong. I'd be a lot more hesitant if it was one of the other two.

These may get taken care of or they may escalate. I just have a bad taste in my mouth from the district in general based on how the "stabbing" incident was handled among other things over the years. Also hearing things from our two teacher neighbors about the state of the district and being handcuffed if things do escalate. It may just be a waiting game right now.

I was just hoping we'd at least make it though the first years of elementary before dealing with this crap again.

 

[simply1]

Why did this get caved? Or did it start out here?

Started here

 

[3TrueFans]

Skankeny does suck though, that much is true.

 

[Cyismymonkey2]

I don't recommend going on a warpath if the only information you have is what your 5 year old told you happened. You need to talk to them, let them know what your kid said happened and then get their side. If they verify what your kid said and still refuse to address it then sure, go on a warpath.

While upsetting and unpleasant this should be a relatively easy fix if everyone is committed to addressing the situation in good faith. Contact the Teacher share your concerns, schedule a meeting with her/ hims supervisor and other necessary personnel. Need to get everyone on the same page, make necessary adjustments and let some air out of this difficult transition.

 

[KnappShack]

Go on the warpath and ask the teacher why they didn’t report the incident to you and demand action to protect your kids safety. If they don’t know about the incident, take it up a level to administration and don’t stop until they provide a plan you are satisfied with. Unfortunately you have to be one of “those” parents to get any meaningful change. That’s my experience.

Does the "warpath" include the parent(s) of the other kids?

 

[8bitnes]

Thanks for the replies.

My wife exchanged emails with the teacher and she acknowledged the fact that there have been multiple reports of bullying by these two kids from other students and parents. The solution was changing desks but then incidents moved to the lunch room. Then to the playground. This specific child of our three is honest to the point he tells on himself if he does something wrong. I'd be a lot more hesitant if it was one of the other two.

These may get taken care of or they may escalate. I just have a bad taste in my mouth from the district in general based on how the "stabbing" incident was handled among other things over the years. Also hearing things from our two teacher neighbors about the state of the district and being handcuffed if things do escalate. It may just be a waiting game right now.

I was just hoping we'd at least make it though the first years of elementary before dealing with this crap again.

At this point, your teacher should have shared the voluntary sign up to share contact info with other parents list. Join and send out a message (minus the offenders families) about class behaviors and encourage open dialogue. Share that you've gotten some vague information from the teacher about misbehaving reports and you would like to compile them with more accuracy as they are ongoing. Use a burner email and simply include your real email in the reply all list.

Kindergarten is far too important of a year to establish liking school or fearing school. This needs to stop immediately.

Admin should be monitoring lunchroom. My elementary kids, MS, and HS kids all have active monitoring going on by admin.

Which building is this? Maybe we have been blessed by very good admin and you got a bad draw.

And, yes, teachers are relatively handcuffed in the responses they are allowed to take. Escalate in a way that the teacher isn't blamed.

 

[JP4CY]

Moved to off topic.

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

I can’t believe I have to ask this but I’m at a loss. Some of you may remember my oldest (12) being threatened to be stabbed last year and nothing happening about it.

Well now my middle one is in KG and has been dealing with bullies since the first week. We found out last week when he came home with a full lunch and said he couldn’t eat. He said he was too upset about two other kids in his class punching him in the head during lunch. The lunch monitors did nothing. They do it in class and his teacher told him “tell them to stop”. He won’t bring his water bottle anymore because the kids made fun of him. A kid at recess told him he couldn’t play basketball or he’d “kick him in the nuts”.

I know kids were never immune to bullying but it seems the school system can’t do anything about it anymore. He’s a really gentle kid most of the time but he’s absolutely big and strong enough at his age that he could really hurt someone retaliating.

Where is the line between sticking up for himself and walking away? What can we pressure the school to do if this keeps happening? I don’t know what to tell him.

This is unreal that in 2024 adults who can nip this stuff in the bud refuse to do so. Makes my blood boil.

 

[Angie]

• Document by date (as best you can) every incident in writing as your child described it.

Then...

• Contact the teacher (the one who just told your child to tell the bullies "to stop it"). Show him/her the incidents. Document what is said at this meeting.

If this leads to no resolution or if the lunchroom & playground bullying continues:

• Contact the principal regarding the aides who are doing nothing. Document the meeting.

If this leads to no resolution:

• Contact a school board member about all of it. Go to a school board meeting and state the problem in public. Name names as to what action has not been taken by the district to protect your child.

Most importantly:

• Thank your child for telling you, tell him that it took courage for him to tell you, and that he himself has done nothing wrong.

And good on you for giving a damn and trying to help your kid. That is the most important part of it all. Odds are that the school bullies have a pretty sad home life.

I would offer a friendly amendment to the fourth bullet here. It is considered a privacy violation to mention kids' names at a school board meeting. I'd instead send the information to the District Office, and if you would like, cc: the school board. Just be aware they won't be able to do anything about it, as it is an administrative decision and the board can't take any action on the level of individual staff or students in an open meeting; they only handle expulsions and such that specifically go to the board.

 

[FLYINGCYCLONE]

Consider calling the Principal until they talk to you.
Get on the School Board Meeting agenda.
Tell the police chief if he gets a call about a kid punching another kid, tell them
the school is not protecting your child.
Let other parents know.
Hope things work out well for you.

 

[Clark]

Consider calling the Principal until they talk to you.
Get on the School Board Meeting agenda.
Tell the police chief if he gets a call about a kid punching another kid, tell them
the school is not protecting your child.
Let other parents know.
Hope things work out well for you.

The police chief? He gonna handcuff a six year old?

Might as well call Governor Reynolds and shoot an email to Jamie Pollard while you're at it.