Ending bully business top school priority

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

On Wednesday, Clover-dale Middle School Principal Jeff Brookshire said bullying has been brought to the forefront as problems the school continues to face.

"We really have more of a problem than you would think with bullying," Brookshire said. "It takes away from education time. It's kind of a top priority for us.

"It's about, in reality, 50 percent of the discipline problems we deal with."

Because of the growing problem, the corporation invited nationally known speaker Jim Williams to speak with parents and students Tuesday.

Nearly 30 parents and students heard Williams' first-hand account on bullying within school buildings. The event took place at the middle school.

Brookshire said Williams was very informative.

"He talked a lot on a wide variety of things that come back around and lead toward bullying," Brookshire said.

Williams spoke at a monthly Cloverdale Community Academy to Reform Education (C.A.R.E.) meeting Tuesday.

"(The C.A.R.E.) group gets together and talks about problems dealing with kids," Brookshire said.

Brookshire said the West Central Indiana Educational Service Center contacted the school earlier informing it that he would be in the area.

The corporation elected to have Williams speak at the middle school as he only deals with children ages 10-14-years-old.

Williams will also be speaking at Roachdale Elementary at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

Brookshire said Williams has experience in dealing with bullying, as he had a son who was killed in a bullying incident.

"He talked to a lot of our parents," Brookshire said. "He was so good. We had a few kids here. He got everybody involved."

Brookshire said having Williams speak to the group and the handful of students was imperative for the school.

Brookshire said the parents in attendance Tuesday had a vested interest in the topic and that Williams will be back next week to speak to the students in a separate engagement.

"I think the kids will respond to him," Brookshire said.

Brookshire said no date has been scheduled yet for Williams to speak with the students.

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