Letter to School

Erin StJean ***********************************(705)********To Tasha Marleau Ecole Lorrain StaffAnd all other concerning Parties Dear Tasha,I am writing you because I am concerned for Taylor and Andres well being and Safety. I have discussed my worries with you many times. Time after time you tell me that you are dealing with these issues. But Yet nothing gets better. You do not return calls. You do not call and tell me when issues have been resolved. I send my children to school to learn not to be abused by peers. They should be safe at school.The following kids have been bullying Andre *****************************I have called you at least twice a week to report incidents. You keep saying you and your staff are trying to put strategies in place. But yet 3 months later I have not seen anything been done to help these kids. You give me excuse after excuse. You never give us solutions to the issues. You tend to ignore them and hope they go away as I told you these kids have bullied my son for years. Causing serious injuries. I explained to you I feared That like years before if you didn’t deal with the bullying right off the bat the kids would escalate to violence. But all my pleas were ignored with you. You always say you don’t see that happening and you use a progressive approach to dealing with the issues. And that its none of my business how the students are dealt with. When I ask you to call me ack to let me know how things were dealt with you have told me TIME AND TIME again you don’t see why you have to call me back because you have dealt with it. I am sorry but my son being bullied is my business and it is my business insuring it wont happen again. You keep saying we are a team and I had to be patient. I tried being patient with you. I have waited 3 months over and over hoping it would get better.The First week of school 2 girls assaulted him both kicking him in his testicles and you ignored the situation I told you it is un called for and how hurt he was. He did nothing to provoke them! The girls admitted it. And you refused to listen. You ended up promising to re look into it and call me back and you never did. I called the school Board and they didn’t get back to me for a month. You called me back and said well I thought we were don’t with this I said well did you look into it. AND YOU SAID NO I said you Promised and you said you didn’t think it needed to be. And now so much time has passed that they couldn’t be punished!!! You said you didn’t think they meant to kick him there. Well I am sorry like I said before when someone lives their leg or knee in that area they know they can do damage and they may hot him there. *********** laughed at him over it for days!!!!!! She told myself and students and my son it was on purpose. What gives a girl the right to kick a boy there?You and the school Board have failed him right from the beginning of the year. What has to happen for someone to help him!Well as you know This week this bullying has gotten out of control. November 17th 2008 (************************************On this date in the morning my son was playing football at the morning recess. Where another student “****” Elbowed him in the face causing his lip to be split open and bleed. **** told Andre he was sorry he didn’t mean it and it was an accident. Andre said it was ok he believed him to forget about it.After the morning recess the boys were in the washroom where **** confronted Andre while he was cleaning the blood and laughed at him along with a boy names ****** they told him that he really did it on purpose and next time it would be worse they told Andre he was a PUSSY and a UNICORN WITH OUT A HORN they also called him an asshole, and told him if he told they would “GET HIM”, they called him ASSHOLE, LOSER, FAGGOT, QUEER, STUPID, BITCH, CHICKEN, YOU GIVE BOYS BLOW JOBS, CAREFULL YOUR GOING TO GET IT UP THE BUMAndre used his 123 strategy and told them what ever they weren’t going to get to him. Andre then went and told his teacher. His teacher questioned the boys. **** told her it was an accident. The teacher then went and took football away from the whole class. Because of that **** and **** and other students ***** ***** ***** **** ******** would gang up on my son through out the day both in the class and out making sexual comments and threats. At the last period the children would wiggle in their chairs and then shock him. Andre asked them many times to stop they wouldn’t. Then the boy ****** picked up a chair and threw it at Andre. He caught it and said STOP IT I DON’T WANT TO FIGHT LEAVE ME ALONE. At that point all the other students. Stood up and circled them and chanted them on told him to get Andre. ***** then picked up another chair and swung it at my sons head several times. The whole time this was happening the teacher was in the classroom but yet a child had to break it up.I was not called to be told about any of these issues, My son came home with blood on him. He was terrified as was my daughter who is in the class and along with many other concerned classmates that told their parents when they got home. I was very concerned I called the school I talked to his teacher. I told her I wanted the principal to call me ASAPWhen you called me and I told you that my son was to scared to go back to school you said that you would make sure they didn’t bother him and you would be there. And he WILL BE SAFE. You said you would call me when you got to the bottom of this because you had a hard time BELIEVING THE WHOLE story BECAUSE YOUR TEACHERS HADNT REPORTED ANY OF THIS TO YOU.When I told you they make fun of him using his strategies you said he shouldn’t say it out loud he should count in his head! I don’t understand how you think that is right. Whether he is doing it in his head or not does not give them the right to laugh at him! And he is using what you people at the school taught him. He shouldn’t have to think when his mind is already overwhelmed with a situation OH NO I CAN ONLY COUNT IN MY HEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! These children also make fun of him taking pills they tell him to take them all and DIE! GO TAKE A CHILL PILL!! OH OH ANDRE ARE WE GETTING YOU MAD?? BETTER TAKE A CHILL PILL!!! The next day Nov 18th I waited by the phone noone called. My children got home I asked my son if they had been questioned. He said yes I asked if anyone was punished he said no. At that point I called you. I asked why nothing was done and why you hadn’t called. You told me that you didn’t have time to look into the claims that you was looking into it. You said that this was the FIRST You were told about bullying in the classroom and about the chair incident. Meanwhile when it comes to bullying in the classroom I have brought it to your attention every week since school started my worries and what these kids were doing. I told you I was concerned for my childrens safety that he is scared to go to class, I asked you if you would guarantee his safety. And that I felt if you didn’t start dealing with these kids properly they were just going to keep doing it. All you have handed down to this point is recess’s and reflections for physical violence and Verbal harassment. You told me you believe in a progressive approach and you are putting new strategies in place. I told you I don’t see anything progressive about it week after week they bully him and its always the same punishment and I asked you to tell me 1 strategy they have put into place as of yet and you could not.What this tells me as a parent is my son doesn’t matter that he is not being heard. We send our children to school to be protected. By the end of the conversation you told me to send him back you would be there and for him and the other students to tell you if anything happens. I explained the other kids don’t tell because the bullies make their lives hell (as the kids put it) every time a child tells then they are bullied you claimed this was un true. So all the parents involved told our kids make sure you tell if they do anything to Andre or anyone else MME promised they wont bug you.Well the next day Nov 19th ******** my son again came home in tears! He begged me not to send him back. Him and the other students told when things happened and the bullies sure enough made their lives hell. To make matters worse they planned to jump Andre in the bathroom another student warned Andre. ******. When they were stopped they would instead shove him in the hall as they walked by would say oppss sorry accident and laugh and run away. They again made sexual remarks and cursed at him and the other students. They made threats all day and intimidated him in class breaking pencils showing him fists whispers and looking at him and laughing.Even more concerned as ever I called the school. I told the secretary to have Tasha call me right away that my son would not be going back till he is safe!You called me back, I told you what happened and asked how this could happen when you promised these kids the BULLIES would not bully them. You went off with I have to look into it I wasn’t there in the afternoon. My teachers have not reported any of this the kids never reported anything which is false. You told me we have to work as a team to put strategies in place at this point it all sounds like a broken record I explained I have been working as a team with you I have been more than patient. I would hope it would have been dealt with by now but now its escalating they are getting violent. My son shouldn’t have to go into a class fearing his peers. He has just as much of a right as any other kids to feel safe and to be happy at school. You told me that You do deal with them. I told you well your not getting through to them they have to learn they cannot treat other like this. You then tried telling me that Andre will be safe at school if I send him back I said how can you promise me that when he is being assaulted in the class and the bath room in the hallways. How do you think it makes him feel sitting in a class day after day with these kids intimidating him. He feels alone. You then said well Andre doesn’t come to me. I said NO HE DOESN’T BECAUSE HE FEELS YOU DON’T HEAR HIM YOU DON’T CARE WHEN HE DOES TELL YOU DO NOTHING THEN THE BULLIES LAUGH AT HIM BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T GET IN TROUBLE.I have asked you numerous time to have peer group counciling it worked in the past with these kids where they did role playing and they had a buddy system. By the end of it you told me that you were investigating it I said really why haven’t the kids been dealt with for the attack with the chair you said well I haven’t had time to discuss it with my staff yet I said to you that’s not right Andre shouldn’t have to wait 3-4 days for you to get to the bottom of things. And the longer you wait the longer kids have to cover up what they do. Ever since the beginning of the year whenever there are the issues you wait up tp a week to deal with it. This is very concerning for myself and other parents. You also don’t call us right away when there are issues. How are things supposed to get better when you don’t let me knowThese children are out of hand my son has NIGHT TERRORS because of these kids, he feels he can’t go and tell teacher because they think it’s a joke. He feels alone. They are hurting him in ways they don’t know because no one is making them understand. As long as the school allows these things to keep happening. None of our kids are safe.I brought him to his Dr tonight he agree’s for me not to send him to school till we can get to the bottom of things. He is concerned for Andres well being.We are told there is 0 TOLERANCE TO BULLYINGTO VIOLENCESEXUAL HARASSMENTI have yet to see the 0 TOLERANCE. By ignoring these issues you are punishing the victims and rewarding the BULLIES.You said something that I couldn’t believe today. You said WELL IT IS VERY HARD TO DETECT BULLYINGREALLY???? Is it that hard look at these kids they are hurting each other verbally abusing my son EVERYDAY and its hard to detect I asked again are you waiting for him to be seriously injured.I am so shocked at the school’s denial and the Boards denial. And shocked that they keep making me promises but yet NEVER DELIVERING.Things are getting worse for my son. Not better as a mom I wish I could hold him in my arms forever and protect him. He is 11 years old and at 11 he knows what it is to have broken ribs to be teased everyday, what HATE is. What real ANGER IS. And as a mother having to tell your son that its ok to defend yourself. Breaks my heart.ALL KIDS have the right to be safe at school. What gives anyone the right to take that away from my son. I honestly fear for his Safety and every time I tell that to you, you ignore it then when they do hurt him you still ignores it. What has to happen?? Nov 20th ***********************************Today my daughter came home from the school crying she said the boys said they were going to kill her brother. She said they followed her and ***** all day harassing them and threatening them. I called Monique back and told her. It is scarey that now they turn on these kids my daughter has nothing to do with this and she shouldn’t have been bothered. When she asked to call home they would not let her. I got her to write down everything that happened. I was also called by the child they also said these things to and she was also to scared to go back to school tomorrow she was very upset. Other kids heard them and saw them doing this. And they all called me and told their parents.Here is what she said In the morning when ***** and I got to school the boys ************************** came up to us and said Why isn’t Andre at school today is he scared? I said no he’s sick.I went to take off my stuff and they followed me and Said Did he go home and cry to his mommy? He is scared ! When he comes back we are going to kill him! And bash his head in, in the bathroom wall.I walked away and they followed ******** and I down the hall and said NO WONDER He is SCARED HE SHOULD BE IF HE COMES BACK WE ARE GOING TO KILL HIM******* and I said leave us alone! They said We Are going to kick his ass Taylor!******** and I said we are going to tell! And then they said OHHHHHH ********** IS HE YOUR BOYFRIEND WELL YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR BOYFRIENDS GOING TO DIE IF YOU TELL WE WILL KILL HIM!THEY TOLD ********** IS THE LOOKED UP IDIOT IN THE DICTIONARY HER NAME AND ANDRES WOULD BE THERE BUT YOU CANT FIND IT CAUSE YOUR STUPID!!!!We said we were going to tell again and they said that’s ok tell but then we will make everyone hate you!So I was so sacred and so was ******** so we didn’t tell. I thought they would hurt me or bully me.I asked to call My mom and they wouldn’t let me. I was so scared of them. All day they would follow us and say mean things about my brother. I don’t know why they are so mean. Then ******** came back up to me and said that he knows why Andre isn’t at school cause he is a big chicken and that everyone hates him. And that they all wanted to bash his head in.TaylorAs you can see these children keep threatening him even when He is not there. My daughter and ********* did not deserve this treatment nor does Andre. You and Monique try to make me feel safe sending him back but obviously he is not these attacks on him are planned. Why should my son go to school after knowing they are still threatening him. My daughter cried herself to sleep tonight because I told her she had to go to school. She begged me she said they will be mean again. I tried to tell her that she told so it will be ok they will be dealt with but her and ***** don’t believe it cause it keeps happening. I explained that they prob wont touch her they are prob just being Nasty to avoid them she said MAMA THEY FOLLOW ME!I am so scared for my son and daughter. And my heart breaks knowing I have to send my daughter there to deal with these kids.I will be writing a letter to the board and you obviously I am concerned for my childrens Safety. And I was considering holding off on calling the police however after what happened to Taylor I feel I have no choice.Before my son goes back I want to know he is Safe both Mentally and Physically. What these children are doing is causing serious issues like Night terrors depression fear anxiety, For him. I was called tonight by one of the bullies mom and Time after Time I have asked you if you call the Bullies parents and you say yes. SHE TOLD ME YOU HAVE NEVER CALLED HER ABOUT ANY ISSUES WITH BULLYING. She feels so bad for what these boys have done to him and cannot believe it has been allowed to get this far! She is happy I asked for the meeting she thinks we should have had it a long time ago.Also ***** Told his mother many facts that the boys have lied about. And he also told his mother that the chair thing did happen it WAS THROWN AT ANDRES HEAD MORE THAN ONCE AND MR LUC DID NOTHING TO STOP IT! THAT another student STOPPED IT.This is very very concerning as a mother that a child not a teacher has to watch out for my kid. And that a staff would cover it up. This is a serious thing they could have seriously injured my child. When I asked you to ask ALL THE KIDS WHAT HAPPENED YOU SAID IF I THINK YOU ARE GOING TO INTERVIEW THE WHOLE CLASS I HAD ANOTHER THING COMING. Well you know what seriously maybe you should think about that because obviously with every incident since Sept that has happened you haven’t gotten to the truth once. Sometime talking to all the witness’s instead of the 4-6 Bullies and ANDRE makes a difference. Obviously the Bullies are going to cover for each other. Your students are terrified Of ****** ****** ***** ****** ****** ****** ******* *******. They have more control over these kids than you can know. And after what Happened with Taylor ****** and Andre telling should say it all. You really need to sit down and re- look at he dynamics of the situation and find away that you can build a trust system and the kids wont be scared of these students.What I am asking you for is support for My son. He is far from perfect but noone deserves this treatment. And he feels he cant got to any of you anymore cause you never do anything about it and then they tease him more cause they didn’t get in trouble.I want to work as a team to ensure my son and daughter and all the other kids love school and are safe. This has gone way to far, it is a very scarey situation there right now. You need to find away to prevent these issues.0 Tolerance should be that....My husband and I would like a guarantee and to be told in writing how you have solved this and how you are working to prevent it. We want you to ensure his Safety. And how the bullies have been dealt with. I am sorry but it is MY BUSINESS. They are abusing my son it makes it my business. It is pretty bad that I have more of a right to information charging the kids then at the school. We also ask AGAIN that if our SON or Daughter is HURT At all I don’t care how small or big we are called not 1-5 days later or not at all. We want a call. I want a call if he is bullied or feels scared. And if my children feel the need to call me or my husband because they feel unsafe. YOU AND YOUR STAFF OR TO LET THEM! EVEN IF YOU DON’T THINK ITS SERIOUS! Obviously they do and they have a right to ask for help and to know at least someone is on their side. We do not want ANDRE OR TAYLOR interviewed about any situation with out you calling us and telling us why. We want to be there is and when you or your teachers need to talk to him. My children no longer trust you guys. Andre feels like you don’t care, you don’t listen. I am begging you to stop arguing with me and to stop taking this as a personal issue I have, it is not. If you want my respect you have to show me that also not talk down to me. My concerns are real and are not over blown. I am not out to get you! I am out to ensure my kids are safe. Every time I call you, you seem to just say tough I am here I run this place and I will deal with it how I want. That would be fine if it was working for you. But obviously its not.We are hoping to get to the bottom of this. I will see you on Monday. We are looking forward as is Andre to be able to face all of the kids. I am still discusted that I had to threaten to sue you to get a sit down meeting with the children and parents involvedAnd if you want to speak to Taylor today regarding yesterday we would like to be there she does not feel safe with out us she is very scared the kids will scare her even more or beat her up.Thank youErin StJean