Chris Hoff Online

A Douglas Budget story of mine I found online…

The violent video was captured on a cell phone camera – like so many in this day and age – and quickly uploaded to the internet.

As Douglas High School students logged onto a popular video sharing web site, they were faced with a shocking image.

One DHS student was striking another, and the grainy shot was on the web for the entire world to witness.

But the scariest part is that this dizzying incident was not isolated, merely a microcosm of a broader issue: Bullying.

Bullying isn’t the same as it was when many of us were in school, before the days of web site harassment and worldwide postings.

School policies to handle bullying haven’t always kept pace with the impact of new technologies. That may change soon in Wyoming. On March 2, Gov. Dave Freudenthal signed into law new guidelines for school policies statewide.

The “Safe School Climate Act” requires school districts to adopt policies to stop bullying, harassment or intimidation and provide punishments for the bullies. The law instructs school districts to involve parents, teachers, administrators, school staff and community members in the process of forming a policy.

Douglas Middle School

At Douglas Middle School, Assistant Principal Dan Edwards is just one of the people who has worked to stop bullying.

Edwards is a supporter of the law and challenges those who question the need for the law. For him, bullying is not just another part of life to be accepted.

“Just because you’ve been called a name, does it make it right?” he asked.

Some students might be made tougher because of it, he pointed out. However, some students might be really hurt by it.

“None of us want a child to feel bad, it will affect their education,” Edwards said.

Parents come to him with problems, which the school does its best to address, but it’s hard to get a number for how often bullying takes place.

“It’s our number one priority,” Edwards said.

This might be why reports of incidences have declined for the last five years. In the 2003-04 school year, there were more than 100 reported incidents of harassment at DMS. By last school year, that number was reduced to 24.

Edwards said many of the provisions in the bill were already in place at the middle school.

“I’d like to think we have a great impact on curbing those behaviors,” Edwards said.

Douglas High School

At Douglas High School administrators, from Officer Rick Dutcher to counselors like Bonnie Lane, have been addressing the issue for years.

“Bullying is an issue you have to act on immediately,” Dutcher said. “If they believe you are going to listen, they will come to you.”

Dutcher has been the School Resource Officer at the high school for three years. He has been a school resource officer for 11 years. Though his office is located at the high school, he serves all the schools in town.

He said kids need to know that they won’t go unpunished.

“If they know there are consequences, it helps a lot,” he said, adding it helps both the victim and the perpetrator.

A growing problem is electronic bullying, the use of cell phones and internet sites to intimidate and harass, Dutcher said.

The online fight video is an example of this new era of menacing. Dutcher said he was able to cite the youth involved after reporting the video to the web site it was removed.

Dutcher feels the new law addresses these cyber-bullying issues, as it has language giving school boards more authority to handle these problems.

The new law also extends the schools’ authority to deal with problems at bus stops.

Dutcher stressed the importance of dealing with bullying.

“I don’t think anyone can focus on their studies if they’re afraid,” Dutcher said.

He admits this is the same behavior that has gone on forever. However, the impact can last for a lifetime.

“If we still remember it, are we okay with it?” he asked rhetorically.

Dutcher said it is important to not just stop the behavior, but to understand what is causing it.

“If you get someone doing it a lot, they’re angry. There is a reason they’re angry,” he said.

As SRO, Dutcher is in a unique position to handle bullying problems. He has the power to get involved with incidences between students at home, when their actions violate the law.

In addition to Dutcher, counselors Bonnie Lane and Mike Marcus are key to making students feel comfortable at school.

“Some students are doing it in a teasing manner,” Lane said. “If the other person doesn’t see it as a joke, we address it.”

Marcus said he deals with a couple incidences each month.

“If it’s serious our first contact is our administrators,” Marcus said.

Marcus has noticed the world of bullying moving toward the 21st century.

“I’ve been involved with several incidences with e-mail and texting,” Marcus said.

This form of communication makes it easier for the bully, but it also makes it easier for those trying to stop it.

Dutcher said students will come to him and describe a worrying text message. He asks for them to forward the message to his cell phone. Then, when he sits down with the person who sent the message, he can show it to them.

Douglas School Board

The problem is dealt with on the ground level by the schools, but the policies and the tools needed come from higher up: The school Board.

School board member Kim Hiser has worked on the issue and supports the new law.

“I think it’s wonderful,” she said. “We were hoping something like this would go through.”

She said it backs the current school district policies. But, while those policies provide guidance and can enforce rules, they don’t stop behavior, she explained.

Having a flexible policy is important to Hiser.

“What people want is a consequence in writing, you can enact every single time,” Hiser said. “You can’t do that.”

She said it is important to remember the schools are working with kids.

“They make mistakes and learn from their mistakes,” Hiser said. “As a school it is our job to help them learn from mistakes.”

Legislative Discussion

A strong supporter of the law is state Senator Jim Anderson.

“I think it is one of the most significant pieces of legislation in this session,” he said. “Children must feel safe in order to learn and to achieve.”

He said it gives good direction to school districts across the state. Bullying problems could cause drop outs, suicide and violence as witnessed at the Columbine shooting in Colorado, he said.

“The bigger goal is to provide for the protection of children,” he said.

The law wasn’t supported by everyone, though.

State Representative Frank Peasley, who serves the Eastern part of Converse County, voted against the bill. He wanted it to be clear he didn’t speak against the bill, he just voted against it.

“What is it this bill does that needs to be done now?” he asked. From his view, the new legislation doesn’t do much.

“Everything that is harmful about bullying is already illegal,” he said. “I don’t see what it accomplishes.”

Peasley questioned how much social engineering and behavioral control society wants to do.

“I find the effort to continue to legislate behavior a fascinating social experiment,” he said.

He questioned what kind of behavior is covered by this bill that a teacher or administrator wouldn’t protect students from without the law. He fears that this bill is going to be amended in a couple years to further regulate behavior.

Peasley actually voted for the bill when it was first in the House, but voted against it when it returned from the Senate.

Tags: Career, Douglas Budget