LIBERTY, Mo. — Leaders from Liberty Public Schools promised parents on Monday night that they are committed to making a change, and working to stop bullying in their schools. Parents who attended a board of education meeting say they are concerned one month after a 12-year-old boy was attacked by a classmate in his school’s cafeteria.
Bullying victim Blake Kitchen and his mother were not at the meeting, but other parents showed up to support them and to demand change in the district.
“If we pull together, that we are going to send a message that this happened here, but it`s not okay and it`s not going to happen again, and parents have got to get more involved. I`m in and I know there`s many others that are, too,” said mom Anne Untch.
About three-dozen parents filled seats at the meeting, several of whom talked during public comment. One said she wants to see policy changes that will improve the way teachers and administrators react to reports of bullying. Another said she wants better communication, letting parents know immediately when a violent incident occurs.
“The story that I’m interested in hearing now is a story of the future. What are we going to do from here out to make sure that the kids and the parents and the teachers and the grandparents who are reporting bullying feel heard, feel acted on and feel like they can go to school safely?” said mom Jennifer Brown. “That’s the side of the story that I don’t feel like we’re hearing from Liberty Public School district that we could be hearing because it is not veiled by privacy.”
Kitchen`s grandfather, Don Flenker, also spoke and said he wants to know whether adults in charge could be punished if bullying happens on their watch.
“What further steps can we possibly take to ensure the safety of our children?” Flenker asked.
Afterwards, superintendent Jeremy Tucker addressed everyone`s concerns.
“It really is a matter of not only re-educating ourselves as a community, and as a district, and as parents into the things that we currently have in place around this topic. But then also soliciting opportunity for engagement and feedback in moving forward,” he said.
Superintendent Tucker said district leaders have been talking with the PTA about how things could`ve been handled differently in Kitchen’s bullying case.
He said they are reviewing policies, talking with legislators and working to spotlight two district programs: the Sixth Grade Life Program and the Best Committee – to address bullying and mental health issues.
Parents are also organizing anti-bullying efforts with the Liberty Parents Action Network on Facebook.