Allegations that children are being bullied and abused in Harford County Public Schools have come from public speakers at two recent school board meetings, representing what they say is a group of parents systemwide who either witnessed, or were told by others, about abuse by students and staff. Superintendent Barbara Canavan said Tuesday that anyone who observed inappropriate behavior should report it to the proper authorities, both in and outside the school system.
At a March 10th school board meeting, parent April Parsons said that her daughter was “attacked verbally and physically” at lunch on November 5, 2013 by another student who later pushed her daughter head first between the seats on the bus. Then on February 24, 2014, Parsons said that a student in language arts class grabbed her daughter’s knee and “pushed her dislocated knee into a desk”, causing a “great deal of pain” and resulting in a visit to the school nurse. Parsons did not name the school, and characterized the reactions to her daughter from unnamed teachers as either unsympathetic or incredulous. Repeated abuse by students, teachers and administrators was “well documented” and “systemic” in HCPS, she said, and victims “beg their parents not to get involved.” However, Parsons that said she represented a group of parents who intended to bring greater visibility to the problem. She asked the school board to undertake corrective action.
At a school board meeting Monday, March 24, former John Archer School parent Janice Wright made the following public comments, which were provided to The Dagger for publication:
“Good evening. I hope that you remember me, but just in case you don’t, allow to me refresh your memories. October 2011, I walked in to find my son restrained in a face down position on a device because he sat down and didn’t want to walk into school. According to the police report, the school placed him in danger of positional asphyxia 5-6 times during a 5-day period.
In March 2012, a teacher from John Archer wrote to me and told me about an incident that happened in 2009, where the principal dragged another student by his legs, face down through the lobby and onto the sidewalk. It was only when this letter went public did Central Office investigate and moved her to Central.
Today, I am speaking before you representing a group of parents that have come together and are finding consistencies regarding how HCPS handles bullying within their schools. I continue to hear horror stories of other children being abused, assaulted and bullied by HCPS staff as well as other students.
At Hickory Elem., 4 yr. old boy held up by his arm and leg by a male staff member because he was crying. This comes from a former teacher. She resigned shortly after this incident. His parents do not know this happened to him.
A bus driver witnessed a boy with Downs Syndrome being taken to the ground by a teacher and restrained face down. When she went to stop the teacher, the administrator told her to get back on her bus because she was not trained in dealing with behaviors. She said, “he did nothing wrong.” His parents do not know what happened to him.
A mom, whose 7 yr. old son attended Deerfield elementary, walked in to find 6 adults holding her son up against a wall. He sustained bruises and blood in his urine. On her son’s IEP recording, his teacher states that he was removed from class ½ of the day every day he was there. Mom asked for the documentation and they were not able to provide it. Again, this mother was never notified what was happening.
One more story, a 6 yr. old boy attended Red Pump Elem. until his psychologist recommended removing him from school because of the high number of restraints, seclusions and exclusions that the school was using on him.
What the parents of this group are finding is that HCPS routinely withholds information and documentation from parents as well as alters documentation. I requested documentation from MSDE in regards to our complaint. In the MSDE’s documentation were several sheets, nowhere found in the 2 boxes of documents I received from HCPS or John Archer, that said the staff restrained my son not the 5-6 times that they told the police, but 11 times in a 4 day period. HCPS alters documentation when MSDE comes in to investigate complaints. Several parents have expressed the same type of occurrences that happen at their schools throughout Harford County.
Teachers and bus drivers see the bullying happen frequently but refuse to speak out unless it is through anonymous means because of fear of retaliation from administration and losing their jobs. They have no resources to go to to express their concerns so they are left to suffer in silence.
Bullying is rampant within HCPS, by staff and by students. When my older son was in North Harford Middle, a bully kept touching him while they were on the bus. My son received a 1-day suspension from the bus because he pushed the bully’s hand away. When I asked the principal what she expected my son to do; her response was for him to stand up on a moving bus and tell the bus driver. These kinds of events play out every day throughout Harford County with little to nothing being done to stop it.
So far, I have heard from parents and staff at Hickory, Deerfield, Red Pump, Prospect Mill, and Emmorton Elem., and Fallston Middle and High School, North Harford Middle and Aberdeen High School.
A word of caution, a person who is bullied can only take so much before they reach their threshold and snap. If you continue to allow bullying within HCPS, my prediction is that you will end up with a Columbine, Sandyhook, or even Perry Hall event. Then the parents that think there child is safe in your schools may find themselves burying their son or daughter because of your inaction.
According to a letter from MSDE, it is your responsibility to uphold Maryland bullying laws. Yet, this issue has not been seriously addressed. In fact, the contrary is true. What I am seeing is a school system more concerned with their reputation than the safety of the children that attend. Ask [General Counsel] Mr. Spicer what [Special Education Director] Ms. Spakowski offered us regarding compensation for the violations against my son, since he chairs the Board Ethics Committee. I will gladly provide documentation to everything I have stated here, all you have to do is ask.
What our kids have experienced in Harford County Schools changed our lives forever. The guilt that we should have known what was happening is overwhelming; the trust that we had that our kids were safe in your schools, destroyed. We are asking you to hold the schools that you were elected to oversee, accountable. Show the citizens of Harford County, the state of Maryland and our country that you are truly making the necessary changes to keep our kids safe by being transparent in all of your actions. Only then, will changes actually happen. Thank you.”
Wright, who moved her son from John Archer to private school following the incidents in 2011, said that after her public remarks on Monday evening, Superintendent Barbara Canavan approached her and asked to meet.
Canavan said on Tuesday that she wanted to meet with Wright to ask her to encourage the people she referenced to come forward and report their observations to authorities.
Canavan also said that anyone who observed inappropriate behavior should contact the appropriate authorities, including Child Protective Services. Inside HCPS, Canavan said that parents and staff should begin with procedures outlined in the Bullying, Harassment or Intimidation Reporting Form, and Parent’s Guide available on the school system’s Web site. A copy of the form appears below:
The school should invite another professional sports celebrity to talk about “bullying” LOL
On the flip side, crying out words such as “bullying” are becoming latest hot buzzword for students and parents to get what they want.
I agree, however if we don’t investigate we will never know if it actual is happening, which can led to bad consequences.
I also had an experience with a teacher at Ring Factory Elem. The teacher had left my child locked out side of the school as a punishment. After further discussion I became aware that this teacher left children locked out side the school as a routine practice. I called several parents to inform the myself. Most parents were in aware of this practice by the teacher until I told them.
Why was he locked out?
I just want to say that there are clearly people involved with the school system that are giving the thumbs down to your comment. Either that or they don’t have children who have been bullied. It just shows their mentality and as the other parent said, it’s just sad.
Can’t regular people give it a thumbs down?
The Term “Bullying” I do feel is over used. However, both of my kids have experienced this in the HCPS system by both Teachers and students. Yes, teachers have been bullying my children. They might not even realize it as they have become very complacent in their ways of teaching.
Unfortunately “feel good” school auditoriums, take home pamphlets and other general waste of time efforts about bullying doesn’t do much.
Parents should enroll their child in their choice of martial arts, should the situation present itself accordingly, the child has the proper training to defend and stop a threat of physical attack
The training will also develop pride, discipline, and proper decision making.
The understandable urge to defend and protect your kids must be weighed against their sense of self-confidence. Maybe it’s not right but bullying – including physical intimidation between kids has been going on since the beginning of time. These parents who feel compelled to insert themselves in any “harm” they see most likely aren’t doing thier kids any good if they expect them to learn to stand on their own two feet. In some cases parents may in fact be helping establish a pattern of behaviors that includes helplessness and that weakness, detected by other kids increases the liklihood they’ll be picked on. The reason some of these “victims” might beg thier parents not to get involved is because they really don’t want helicopter personality parents to get involved. It’s embarrassing to them and most often makes it worse.
One very important aspect of this struck me: Unlike her predecessor, Tomback, who would have done everything in his power to avoid this issue, and would have used his minions to obfuscate the issue and to demonize the messengers…….. Ms. Canavan had the strength of character to immediately address this issue with the parent and to encourage other parents to come forward. THAT is a good leader. I like what I see so far in this woman.
It’s disturbing that people are giving thumbs down to parents voicing incidents of bullying involving their children. Saying that the term is used so the children and parents can get their way is discrediting the true victims of bullying. My son has also been bullied by kids and teachers. I have no agenda other than to provide a safe and positive learning experience for my children. My son has also dealt with bullying by at least one teacher this year. He also has a few great teachers who have nothing but praise for him. There’s only one of him, so where does the discrepancy lie? One teacher called him a moron and blatantly lies to my face about the circumstances surrounding it. As if any circumstance would be acceptable. (She apologized to him after downplaying the whole incident.) This is the kind of teacher that will never be thanked by a child after becoming an adult for making a difference in their life. These are our children. They are teachers. If they can’t be a positive influence on our kids they need to get over themselves and find a new job. And maybe bullying has been around for a long time, but mass shootings inside our schools has not. So if it happens here what are you going to tell yourselves?
The only thing disturbing to me are people who don’t stand up for themselves.
Except our children are afraid to stand up for theirselves to their teachers. And regarding other children, they also get in trouble for “standing up” for theirselves since the teachers like to blame the child that’s retaliating. They don’t seem to notice the bully starting it. I’ve had this conversation with my son. He thinks he should be able to push back. But then he will be the one getting suspended. Same thing happened to me as a child. When one girl kept bullying me and I finally got tired of it and fought back, we were both suspended. I do not want my child suspended.
Yeah, but you might have lost the battle, but won the war. Some things could be worse than suspension. Just because a teacher is negative to a student, that doesn’t make it bullying.
I’m very aware of the difference. It wasn’t an isolated incident or just negativity.
There is another part of this issue that no one wants to talk about-bullying by administrators toward teachers. Principals and assistant principals have repeatedly threatened teachers with losing their jobs and applying undue pressure on teachers with additional busy work and assignments to “keep their staffs in line.” Using plans of assistance as a means of punishment is very common. Constant classroom observations of certain teachers under the guise of helping teachers has become a popular form of putting undue pressure on certain teachers for speaking up or questioning some of the administrators’ techniques in running their schools. All one has to do is look at the monthly personnel report to recognize the decline in HCPS.
Using your definition – observation of the teachers “teaching” by administrators is bullying then every boss bullys every employee. To watch someone for skill level and ability is not bullying.
I agree. This is a very emotional response.
Using negative evaluations and “Plans of Assistance” as retaliation and punishment is bullying, however. Ruling by intimidation is bullying. The fact that it happens in all facets of business does not make it less wrong.
Many in the school system felt bullied under Tomback and Lawrence. Some insiders referred to them as the Intimidator and the Assassin and that this attitude filtered down to the school level. Hopefully Ms. Canavan can rebuild the trust and recognize that staff is the most valuable resource the school system has.
No apparently exterior doors and HVAC systems are worth a bunch more than teachers and not by a little…
First Hand,
I agree with you. Many of the bullying issues within HCPS stem from the administration. The biggest bullies that myself, and other HCPS parents have encountered have been administrators. Consequently, since administrators are responsible for school climate, the administrator that is a bully encourages a bullying climate within their school.
The only way this will ever be resolved is if HCPS acknowledges the truth of what is taking place within their school system. It is unfortunate that until that takes place, it is a waste of time and effort for teachers, students, parents, and community members to follow, and abide by anti-bullying laws, policy, procedures and programs, not to mention the risk of retaliation from HCPS for doing so.
I hope and pray that someone with enough heart and power will be able to break this vicious circle before we are forced to deal with a critical incident within HCPS.
I am a teacher in a Harford County middle school. I have written referrals on bullying as soon as I witness it or a student reports it to me. However, the majority of the time it is minimized by the administrator that deals with the referral. Recently, I had a colleague have a student fill out the form included in this article. The assistant principal instead turned it into a school-based “incident report” by scratching out the heading at the top. The bullying is still going on. Not only is this wrong, it is unfair to kids.
That altered report should be sent to every newspaper and media outlet in the area. That administrator (and administration) needs to be called out publicly for their illegal activities.
Kids today are soft. Many of us were bullied/teased/picked on, etc as a child. You learn to overcome it. So tired of everybody today being coddled, being told they’re great, everybody getting a trophy, etc. No one wants to work anymore, especially not through a problem. It’s sickening.
Bullying by teacher’s and administrators has been going on for a long time. You cannot compare bullying by children and staff. Teachers and administrators are held at a higher standard. When this happens to your child by a staff member the principal of the school must follow the protocol that has been established by the board of education. My child was straggled by the librarian in school and his teacher tried to.cover it up. Met with principle and the librarian she did admit to it and the principle replied to my husband and I what would you like to do? My husband replied “what would you do if I reached over and straggled. You?” the principal replied he would call the police. So he did call the police and in the end the principal, the librarian and the teacher were transferred to different school. CPS wouldn’t do anything because the marks on his neck couldn’t been seen by them a few days later. That’s how long it took for them to come on the scene. The staff were transferred because I wouldn’t let the issue die. I took the time from work and made sure they were gone. But, with the teachers union that’s all they do is demote and transfer the problem elsewhere. Sad so sad.
Yes, I would hate being straggled.
especially by the principle
It’s the grammar police!
@Copenhaver
If that’s all you have is to criticize my grammer..shame on you there’s a bigger issue at hand. I think elementary school students should be able to go to school and get an education and not worry about teacher behavior. Last I checked they don’t give trophies in school. Your talking about sports. That day my son was strangled another 3rd grade little girl got slapped in the face by the same librarian but she was afraid to say anything. I spoke with her mother and she had her hands full with her son who had cerebral palsy. So I took that fight on too on her behalf with her permission. Yes they were transferred to North Harford schools. This is a major issue that needs to be addressed.
@Nana – I wasn’t correcting your grammar but rather your atrocious spelling. There is a difference. Furthermore, my trophy comment was unrelated to your post and more of a comment on how society operates.
The teachers unions doesn’t demote or transfer people anywhere!
Say it ain’t so, bullying in Harford County Schools, No way. Harford County Public schools are experts at sweeping problems under the rug. Administrators don’t listen to parents, teachers either don’t have the time or don’t care. What they are very good at is throwing kids out of school. If a kid is bullied and defends him or herself they get suspended or expelled or sent to the alternative Aberdeen school. The school Administrators are worst than the Gestapo, has anybody’s kid ever been put into an office and question by two or three adults and almost forced to admit to something they may or may not have done without a parent being present? I have no respect for HCPS’s. Now, Let’s talk drug abuse in schools, it is out of control but you don’t hear about it, Why? I could on and on but what is the use?
Well whose fault is it the kids are using drugs ?
What does your question have to do with my statement? The answer is nothing.
“…….I have no respect for HCPS’s. Now, Let’s talk drug abuse in schools, it is out of control but you don’t hear about it, Why?……”
That is what it has to do with your comment. Sounds like you are blaming the kids drug habits on the school. Maybe we should blame the parents.
Cdev,
My guess is that Hedley’s point was that he knows that some students have obvious drug problems, and the school looks the other way and just sweeps the issue under the rug. It didn’t sound to me as if he was blaming the school for the student having the drug problem, just that HCPS misleads the public about what is actually taking place within their schools.
And my point is it is the parents andlack of parenting. Can’t count the number of kids in cars with CMW and Fallston high school stickers turning onto the scetchy roads in Edgewood. I am sure they are visiting their friends and I am sure kids Like Kyle Reddish are the fault of the school and not bad parenting!
Cdev,
I understand your valid point. I just wasn’t sure if maybe you misunderstood the point I think Hedley was trying to make.
Hedley,
Your response shows what a senseless non-thinking person you are.
I officially submitted a bullying report 4 years ago and copied the state on it. I never heard from one person regarding the report and school administrators worked desperately to keep it under wraps. The problem was a coach and she categorically refused to talk to parents and said it wasn’t our business. She should have been fired for saying that alone but she is still teaching. Thankfully I am out of HCPS this spring and I will take my son’s private school (yes I know they have problems too) any day!
Too bad schools no longer include boxing as part of gym class.
The kids would learn to get out their aggression in a structured environment without serious injury.
Although some include fencing!
Perhaps as a regular part of the Health Curriculum they could do field trips to whore houses and look up drug traffickers to try out illicit substances, or maybe you could volunteer tot take them drinking so they can learn to hold their booze.
Did that work well for you?
Sarcasm was lost on you Barbara
Prostitution, drugs and drinking might be popular at Olympic venues, but only boxing is an Olympic sport.
To me it’s simply sanctioned organized brutality you can bet on.
“Bullying” does it an upside that a lot of people are missing. The word “bullying” is now creating careers.
Careers that have no end of the worthless amounts of paperwork that will never stop coming in, we’re too far deep into this “social issue” to ever think of a realistic solution, now it’s time for those starry eyed college graduates with their 4 year degrees, a job application, and a Monday-Friday dayshift job to retire from after 20 years all while never really doing anything.
Kids come to school high every day, and you blame it on the teacher, please stand up and look in the mirror. You are the parent and your responsibility does not end when your kid enter the school building. And to the issue of bullying by teachers, parents your children turn in to animals when they enter the building they use language you would hear from sailors both girls and boys and show no respect for self or others, you drop your kids off at school and watch them go in with their butt showing girls and boys, pants down and skirts and shorts to short and you blame the teacher. Man up or woman up and be a parent and stop whining. Respect start at home teach you kids how to be respectful.
You ask what kind of world are we leaven our children; the real question is what kind of children are you raising and leaven the world.
I was going to call BS on all these allegations of widespread teacher abuse. While I hate teacher’s unions there’s no way anybody with any sense would suggest teacher’s as being a group of monsters such as being alleged here. If any group of civilized, educated, responsible adults seems to pack up on your kid and common and not specific to any one teacher it’s not the teacher, it’s your ill behaved kid, rotten kid.
Word on the street,
I agree with you that some school environments are horrific with the very things you stated you in your comment. I don’t agree with completely blaming all parents. Many parents do a good job, and demand their children not behavior in the manner you described. Some of these children only “misbehave” at school.
For example in our home if one of our children curse or are disrespectful in any way it is unacceptable, and they are held accountable with consequences for their actions. Then our children go off to school to an environment that doesn’t hold these very simple standards. In our son’s school, students curse, and threaten students and teachers with little to no consequence. Even though we are aware it is more difficult for one to not adapt to the environment, especially a child, if it is brought to our attention that one of our children has done anything unacceptable by our standards, they face consequences at home.
With that being said, how can children be expected to stay within boundaries at school, when the boundaries don’t exist?
When standards and consequences are applied in school by teacher and staff, parents complain and threaten with law suits. Just research how many law suits are pending or have been file for HCPS and other school district; parents seem to think that it is a way to make easy money. Educating your child is a teacher do, they are not baby sitters. If your child curse or disrespected a teacher what consequences would you expect from the school. You see teacher and school system hand are tied with parents, Politian’s and their get rich quick lawyers.
Word on the street,
Did it ever occur to you that maybe the legal actions you claim that have been filed against HCPS were pursued only as a last resort for justice and accountability?
While I can’t speak for the rest if the children, I can say that my child, who is in middle school, is an honor roll student. He also doesn’t wear his pants incorrectly or curse in school. I have also been told many times, by many other teachers, that he is one of the most respectful kids in their class. He has a few good teachers and he gets comments on his report card that he is a pleasure to have in class. Doesn’t sound like an “ill behaved rotten kid” to me.
I don’t think they are monsters. Just not someone who should be teaching children if they can’t be more mature than the kids in their class. At least be more professional.
Just come in one day and observed and you will have a different opinion about teachers. Yes he is in middle school now wait until is goes to high school.
Prussian modeled schools are very similar to prisons and bullying is adopted by “inmates” as a survival tool.
The state bullies its citizens every day.
We watch our political leaders bully opponents on a regular basis.
The police bully people routinely.
Robert Small spoke out about Common Core and was bullied by the State Superintendent.
We invade sovereign countries and spy on our neighbors.
This is how Tyrants preserve themselves.
Parents often drive like bullies on the street (with kids in the car)
Bullying is a reflection of our own image, if you don’t like it change your own behavior first.
What do you expect the kids to do? They learn by example!
Amen.
I wonder how many teachers smoke that funny smoke? No doubt they didn’t include that on their personal history part of the application.