Buncombe County Schools is participating in No-Name Calling Week Jan. 23-27, a national campaign to reduce or eliminate bullying in schools. As a retired teacher, having put in 30 years in the public schools, I can't help but see this as another attempt by central office people to make themselves appear that they are on top of an issue, when in fact, they are not addressing the problem.
The simple way to stop bullying is for the superintendent to support the principals to support the teachers in disciplining and acting on bullying. Teachers know the bullies, but when they take a bully to the office and nothing is done because of the family the bully belongs to, the neighborhood the bully is from or the economic level of the bully's family, bullying will not be reduced. Too often, instead of support when teachers find bullying, the teacher is seen as having weak classroom discipline and principals don't want to act on a situation that parents will take to the superintendent.
The only way to stop bullying is for bullies to be dealt with and sent home and parents forced to face the issue — that they are raising a bully. Support your teachers.
— Clifton Whitfield
Hendersonville
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