What's next?

Yesterday, when I was waiting in front of Cameron's school for him to be dismissed, I had a conversation with the father of the another white boy in Cameron's class. Seems that boy has been having problems too. The father has been to the school several times to express his concerns. The boy has gone to the teacher several times to tell her someone is being mean. She has said she doesn't want to hear it. This is according to the father. Our experience with the teacher seems to be a little different. (It could be because we have created such a stink about it.) Although, I will admit she seems quite scatter-brained and too busy at times. She works with 5-6-7 year-olds all day, so I think she's entitled to screw up sometimes, but not when a child is asking for help from bullies. NEVER, EVER mess that up. Anyway, the father had a meeting with the principal a couple of months ago after his son was hurt by several other kids on the playground and had to spend recess in the nurse's office being iced. He asked the principal what the punishment is for the children who physically harm other children. She informed him that they get talked to, a note sent home, and they spend recess in the Principal's office. He called his son into the office with him and told him the next time a kid hits him, then clobber them. The principal told him he couldn't tell his son that. And he said to the principal, "Why not? There's no punishment. My son's missing out on recess anyway because he's in the nurse's office. If there's no punishment, the bullies are going to keep bullying and the kids being bullied are getting hurt and then punished because they miss recess when they did nothing wrong." I agree with him 100%. He also told me that these past couple of weeks the kids have been calling his son names. The teacher said she didn't want to hear it, so the father told his son to call names back. Guess who got in trouble. Yes, the white boy. Father was up at the school again letting them know how he feels about the difference the races are treated. When the Principal's secretary told him there was no favoritism toward the Hispanics, he disagreed and said, "Everything done at this school is to please the Mexicans, don't give me that bull." Um, once again, here here!

So, his experience seems to be much the same as ours. I think we just made a bigger stink of it and maybe threatening to call the superintendent did something for us. Maybe Cameron is just on the radar of so many people since he has an IEP and an apparent processing disorder. Maybe they are taking better care of Cameron because he doesn't process threats as quick as other kids and they know he will get hurt. I don't know. I do know that hitting, threats, and racist name calling should be zero tolerance. Period. Hitting and other physical violence should be automatic suspension, especially after a note sent home didn't work. The boy that hit Cameron the other day has been talked to and had a note sent home more than once. From what I've heard, the mother of the boy doesn't care. They watch the Ultimate Fighting and wrestling shows together as a family. From what I understand, they make income off of it somehow, maybe betting? I don't know. And just so you know, I'm not going around asking about this kid or anything, I still don't know which boy it is. I know the name, not the face. This info is just being randomly given to me by several people. Staff people who are also sick of the bullying and think something more extreme should be done as far as consequences for violence. I suspect they don't say anything because they don't want to stir the pot and risk their jobs. There are so many unemployed teachers/ school staff in California right now, that the ones that do have jobs just avert their eyes and keep their mouths closed. Hoping that someone like me will come along and be the squeaky wheel and incite a change. This change is not something I know how to do. I guess the first step is complaining to the principal. Then what? Superintendent? Lawyer? Media?