Bullying is alive and well in schools

Whatever happened to "thinking" in schools, especially when it comes to dealing with kids in special education?

A friend wrote about her son's experience in his new school. He was doing very well in adjusting to his new school, and they seemed to really understand his disability - for the first time, in a long time. Now, we're not talking Woodstock here...

Okay, so today the boy comes home and has been kicked off a field trip because he hit another student at school.

The back story? The other kid had been teasing this boy and also thrown his Math book into the stair well (according to the school counselor). And the discipline for the other kid? Nothing. He didn't get bumped from the field trip.

Yes, there ought to be zero tolerance for hitting in school, but there should be zero tolerance for teasing, too, since it's a form of bullying. It's not just a "form" of bullying; IT IS BULLYING.

If I were the Principal, either they'd both get kicked off the field trip or, better yet, sit them down and have them work out their disagreements, and provide some strong coaching to both. And then send them both on the field trip.

Isn't this what we want our kids to learn? Work out your disagreements.

If they don't do it this way, then the kid who didn't go on the field trip will have it "in" for the one who teased him, and there will be more "occurrences." Duh.....