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Speaker rising up against school bullying

by Michele Catahay

Recent reports of riots in the island schools has many residents wondering how officials will beat down bullying, one lawmaker wants to create a group to combat the issue.

Last week more than a dozen students ganged up on one particular student, beating him repeatedly at Southern High School.  The incident is evidence that bullying is still happening at campuses around the island.

Department of Education Deputy Superintendent Arlene Unpingco was at the Santa Rita campus today to conduct her own investigation into the incident to see what really happened and whether school administrators took appropriate steps.  "We do have what we can call a Student Procedural Assistance Manual. That is our protocol as far as when these incidents occurred. Then that school administrator was supposed to follow that protocol," she said.

Back in 2007, Southern High School student Jeromy Newby died several months after he was assaulted by another student on campus.  DOE officials are hoping to prevent that from happening again. 

For the time being, Unpingco will be situated at the SHS campus to observe the student activity there.  

In the meantime, the recent reports of bullying have Speaker Judi Won Pat concerned, as she said, "There have been several instances in our middle and high schools where children are being bullied, attacked, and assaulted. We certainly don't want a repeat of what had happened at the southern high school and so what it is that I spoke with the governor to set up a blue ribbon committee."

Won Pat believes it's a community issue that must be deal not just in the schools, but on the village level, as well.  She continued, "With this committee, we'll be able to work with the department. I know there have been a zero-tolerance policy, but in terms of what they're actually doing, I really don't know and I think off that, I will be able to get a briefing from them when we set up this committee."