Letter to the Editor: The rights of victims vs bullies in school

There are a number of ways schools are violating the civil rights of students who are being harassed and bullied.

Denial is one way. Aiding and abetting this false position (in order to avoid accountability) is denying students what they would need in order to document what is happening to them — because the documentation could be used in a court of law to not only sue the abuser but also the school. Police can use body cams for video and audio documentation — but not students. Why?

In the case of small schools, one method of avoiding accountability is if the abuser is active in sports. The school might impose a two-day suspension (vacation for the student), but you can bet that athlete will not miss a game! If the team does not have sufficient players for a conference game, the public would be unhappy. And a school using this rationale clearly prioritizes public opinion over the civil rights of abused students. This begs the question of whether the parents are then aiding and abetting the abuse — in favor of sports — or whether they would actually help schools teach moral conduct to stop the abuse?

Another method used by schools is to suggest the abused student change schools. Why would the abused student change schools when they are the victim? Make the abusers change schools. If forcing the abuser to change schools also affects sports, then the school would be in the position of justifying this to the public. Would the public support the abuse, or would the public help change the abusive behavior?

This is the reason families of abused students need to get together and file class action lawsuits against their school (and the abusers when possible). This is the only way to begin addressing the problem of abuse.

Sue Atkinson

Baxter