Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Idaho State Journal Article On Bullying



The article in the Idaho State Journal came out today. It was front page and a really, rather large picture of my really, rather good looking boy. I didn't even know it was out until i got the 1st phone call. TS' soccer coach from last season called to say that her daughter went through the same thing and she now home schools her. then the mother of a girl that has been in TS' class before called to say that they are going through it too. she also told me that there was a comment section on the ISJ web site where you could comment on an article and someone, conveniently named "anonymous" had said that her kids said TS was a bully.... OH NO SHE DITN'T!!!!!

so i did something i never do cause it's dumb and i got into an internet pissing contest with an unknown person. she accused my son of being a turd and that just wasn't going to happen. (i wish like hell i could give you the link to it, but the journal has changed the site and it's gone and i'm a dummy for not saving it.) i pointed out that none of the parents of students at Syringa school know me well enough to claim that i don't spend enough time with my kids, so she really didn't know what she was speaking about... ENTER JEFRI!!!!! i had posted a link to the page with his picture on myspace and good old Jef went to take a look. she saw what "anonymous" had said about me and mine... she didn't like it. (we grew up together and even after all these years she's still got my back.... love you Jef!) so she SCHOOLS this lady and "anonymous" ends up lookin like a straight up tard!

i got so many phone calls today that said so many wonderful things. this is not something that i do. i let stuff go... it's why G and i have been married so long. but when something is broken at a school.... i mean, that's our kids! it has to be fixed! i love my son. he's smart, gorgeous, kind, and has infinite possibilities for his life. (hope y'all are ready for a time machine cause he's pretty sure he's gonna build one) i could not sit by and let poorly disciplined children and an apathetic principal start his life on a path that could lead to self destruction. he's better than that. God gave him to me at a time in my life when i was headed for that same destruction. he is divine intervention at its blond haired, green eyed best. a gift. a message from the Almighty himself, "YOU CAN BE A BETTER PERSON THAN YOU ARE RIGHT NOW. HE WILL HELP YOU BECOME THE PERSON YOU ARE MEANT TO BE. HE IS ONE OF MY FINEST, MY STRONGEST, AND NOW HE IS YOURS. LOVE HIM AND HE WILL SAVE YOU!" how do you ignore that?



i had to scan the article so here are the photobucket links

Front Page


Article



Friday, January 16, 2009

We Aren't The Only Ones

it has been too long! i always go months without blogging and it makes no sense because i have a million ideas everyday about funny stuff to say... i take that back. it makes perfect sense. i have 3 children and constantly get interrupted so most days i feel like, "what's the point?" (for example i didn't even get to write one whole sentence before TS, who was supposed to be in bed an hour ago, busted in wanting chap stick)

those of you who read my blog know about the trouble we've had at school. TS is 10 and was going to some ghetto school that breeds future criminals. the bloody noses and bruises became too much so we have moved him to a new school and he is doing VERY well. for the first time he has friends and feels safe.

i had let the bs that happened a Syringa go, we were moving on, but yesterday i was told about a local chiropractor who's son is at Syringa and is having trouble. then a few hours later, the mother of one of the only friends that TS had at his old school called to tell me her daughter was being bullied as well. this is just too much and i have decided to not "let it go" the principal of that school has lost all control over there. (her name is Miffy Lane.... yeah.... that's right MIFFY?????) she refuses to call the police because then there is an official record and she looks bad. she also loses all control over what happens to the student. (did i mention she's also a dumb ass?) so i have written to the school board and here is a copy of that letter.




Dear Members of the School Board,

My son Travis is in the fourth grade this year, and, until recently, he has attended Syringa since kindergarten. This year the bullying escalated to such a degree that it was no longer safe to continue to send him to that school and we moved him over to Lewis and Clark.

My son was tortured at Syringa. He has had cuts, bruises, bloody noses, and foot shaped bruises on his chest. He was attacked by two boys in the bathroom and put into a headlock. He became so scared to go to the restroom at school that he developed urinary track infections because he was "holding it" ALL day. He quit sleeping, and would throw up Sunday nights because he had to go back to school. Even through all of this, he still had good grades and was never a discipline problem for his teachers.

Miffy Lane did NOTHING to stop it. She never called the police, and she never enforced the so called punishments that she handed out. When Travis was dog piled by five, (that's right FIVE!) older boys because they tried to steal his soccer ball, Miffy thought a fair punishment for them would be one month without being able to play soccer. Within a few days my son came home to tell me that those boys were playing soccer again. I ask you, what kind of lesson did those boys learn? Nothing! Not a DARN THING! and that is why the violence is escalating at Syringa and a child will be seriously harmed if something isn't done.

I have been told that Miffy is retiring at the end of the year. I say, good riddance! Our children are not safe with her. She cares more about covering her own behind than the safety of anyone in that school. It is the reason why she doesn't call the police. She loses all control over what happens and there is an official record of the mess that goes on in her school.

I left a message with the district offices before Christmas about wanting to file a complaint about Miffy Lane. I, of course received no return phone call. I have the feeling that you all are hoping to not have to deal with "the Miffy problem". That she will just retire and she can move to Miami, or wherever worthless educators go after their time is through. Now that my son is in a safe place I was going to let this go, and move on. However, I have spoken to two sets of parents who's children are also being bullied at Mrs. Lane's school. This has made me see that, something stinks at Syringa and it's coming from Miffy's office. I feel like I still have a stake a Syringa because I have a kindergartner that is still there (we didn't wish to disrupt his school year too, so he stayed at Syringa). I do not anticipate a response, as I said I'm sure you're all just waiting for Miffy to go away. As a result I will continue to be in contact with other parents, gathering as many as necessary to make the biggest noise possible. I will also be writing to the Idaho State Journal as well as the local news.

I beg of you, do something about this. There is no reason for children to be scared to go to school. Where is your "zero tolerance" policy? I will tell you this, if the parents of a child who is a bully had to shop around for new schools because their kid got kicked out of his last one for being a punk, I'm quite certain that those parents would pay more attention to what kind of person their child is becoming, and double their efforts to be better parents. As it stands, it's up to the parents of the victimized child to find a safe place for their child to go to school.


Sincerely,
Kiley Harmon





so there it is. just for the record i would like to say that my boy is no wuss. he handled this nightmare like a damned hero and i am more proud of that boy than i can say.