Author Archives: carl

>definition of bully and harassment – a letter to the superintendent

>

Mr NAME REDACTED
Thank you for speaking with me.  We need to speak further regarding
this matter.

===========================
This is the http://www.dictionary.com definition of harassment.
ha·rass·ment
 [huh-ras-muhnt, har-uhs-muhnt] Show IPA
noun
the act or an instance of harassing,  or disturbing, pestering, or
troubling repeatedly; persecution: She sued her boss for sexual
harassment.

This is the http://dictionary.com definition of bullying.
bul·ly
1  [bool-ee] Show IPA noun, plural -lies, verb, -lied, -ly·ing,
adjective, interjection
noun
1.
a blustering, quarrelsome, overbearing person who habitually badgers
and intimidates smaller or weaker people.

As I said during our brief discussion this afternoon, we have
disagreed on verbiage before.

this is the ND Century Code.

SECTION 1. A new section to chapter 15.1-19 of the North Dakota Century Code
is created and enacted as follows:
Bullying – Definition.
As used in this Act:
1. “Bullying” means:
a. Conduct that occurs in a public school, on school district premises, in a
district owned or leased schoolbus or school vehicle, or at any public
school or school district sanctioned or sponsored activity or event and
which:
(1) Is so severe, pervasive, or objectively offensive that it substantially
interferes with the student’s educational opportunities;
(2) Places the student in actual and reasonable fear of harm;
(3) Places the student in actual and reasonable fear of damage to
property of the student; or
(4) Substantially disrupts the orderly operation of the public school; or
b. Conduct that is received by a student while the student is in a public
school, on school district premises, in a district owned or leased schoolbus
or school vehicle, or at any public school or school district sanctioned or
sponsored activity or event and which:
(1) Is so severe, pervasive, or objectively offensive that it substantially
interferes with the student’s educational opportunities;
(2) Places the student in actual and reasonable fear of harm;
(3) Places the student in actual and reasonable fear of damage to
property of the student; or
(4) Substantially disrupts the orderly operation of the public school.
2. “Conduct” includes the use of technology or other electronic media.

===================

If my daughters are so upset about the way these young ladies like
NAME REDACTED (sp) are treating them, that it causes an interference
in their basic right to an education, how does that not fall within
the realm of bullying?  This is not a matter that I am taking lightly.
 This is not a matter that the school should be taking lightly.  If it
is happening to my girls, I guarantee you that it is happening to
others.  The fact that you recognize NAME REDACTED attitude,
personality and treatment of faculty and students, and don’t do
anything to remedy the issue tells me that the district don’t take the
matter seriously.

What is the next step?  As I said, we need to have a conversation
regarding this topic.  It needs to involve the community, and it needs
to start before May.

What is the next step?  Will the school address the bullying that my
daughters are experiencing or won’t it?  Inaction is a response.

I need to know that you received this message.   Please respond that
you at least received it. If necessary I will do an open records
request regarding any email sent from myself to the school district to
determine that you did in fact receive this email.

Thank you

>affordable care

>So, I went to fill a script for my daughter at the druggist.  As a result of the ObamaCare affordable care act thingy, her script isn’t covered.  It would be if she was over 18, but then she wouldn’t qualify for the program that would cover it, because she was over 18.

That defies logic.

I asked how much it would cost if I paid cash. 570 dollars.
I asked how much if I paid for two pills.  42 dollars.

My family lives in North Dakota.  Because of my health, I am not working.  Before affordable care was enacted, medicaid would have covered the tab.  In what way, shape or form is this affordable?  I am not independently wealth.  just for meds in our house, we are paying nearly 1500 a month.  if we add the script she was given this week, it would be over 2000.  our income is around 36k a year.  in what way is this affordable?  affordable to whom?

>fiction or reality

>
You know, dads think that they are fairly strong. We fix things when we can, and if we don’t know how, we get someone else to do the job.

I am going to try to develop a community discussion about bullying in this town.  adults doing it to adults, adults bullying students, and so on…  Life ain’t easy.  But if we don’t teach our kids to respect themselves, they will never respect other people.  kids mirror the behavior that they learn at home.  If the kids are bullying other kids, what does that tell society about their home life?

Now, I am not saying every home life is that way.  There are kids who follow the leader.  They often times see the bully as a leader and follow their example.  Doesn’t make it right.  When the leader can be identified, would they deny being the bully/leader if challenged?  I wonder.  There is a bully in the senior class. That person has followers who mimic behavior and actions.  If the bully was called to task what would happen?

History shows us that when bullies are confronted they find others to blame.  Even a year ago.  Our fair district had students get caught cheating on a final exam.  Students, faced with failing the exam, complained to parents. Parents called the superintendent.  the exam was not counted toward final grades.  Why?

Maybe the teacher decided that the exam was flawed and through it out.
Maybe the teacher decided that the students deserved a break.
Maybe the superintendent brought pressure to bear on the teacher and the teacher through the exam out.
Maybe all of this is just supposition.  a figment of my imagination.

I am a writer. I can put words together and form coherent thoughts.  That scares people.  I am also a researcher.  If I look at a history and something looks wrong with it, I will try to find out what it is.

But then, there are people who will think that this post is fiction.  Can’t be happening in our town.  There was a little town that thought it couldn’t happen in their community.  There are places in our country with names like Paducah.  Omaha. Cape Fear. Columbine.  I do not wish those horrors on anyone.  all of the horrors that happened in the schools in those communities started or had their start as a result of bullies.

We can choose to believe that this is fiction.  Or we can take the necessary steps to make it stay fiction.  to do that we need to communicate as a community.