Greendale parents form group to help combat bullying
GREENDALE -- A new non-profit has opened its doors after a bomb threat was called in to the high school. The guilty student said he did it because he was severely bullied. The program called "Greendale Against Bullying" is made up of educators, police officers, doctors and counselors. While it has no affiliation with the school district, the non profit says districts have its hands tied, and the way to solve this problem is through mediation.
"We want to be there before that boy writes on the wall," said co-founder Linda Lee, talking about 17 year old Nicholas Olson who confessed to the bomb threat. "We know that many children suffer alone, and they bare they scars long term."
It was also the breaking point for Linda Lee and her team to start the anti-bullying group.
"The administration is inundated with a multitude of problems during the course of the day," said Brian Debelak, the group's co founder, and shop teacher at Franklin High School. "Do the administrators have their hands tied? Yes, because they officially have to be officers of the court, they have to do a certain amount of reporting it, we have a little latitude and lee-way with our program that we're doing, and I think it's going to benefit the administration in the schools and work as a community and really tackle this problem."
They're using people outside of the district from different walks of life, and they hope their hands on approach will make a difference.
Meanwhile, the Greendale School District has a new, online bullying reporting system. It's intended to be used by students who are victims of or witness bullying, harassment or other illegal activity.
The bullying reporting system was created by a task force in the wake of an incident in which a student who indicated he was repeatedly bullied wrote a bomb threat in the high school bathroom.
The online reporting form is available on the Greendale High School and Greendale Middle School websites. It can be used by students, parents or anyone who wishes to report bullying or harassment. A person who visits the online form can remain anonymous.
CLICK HERE to visit the form to report bullying or harassment