How is bullying handled at Cooper or Longfellow?

[Anonymous]

What was the bullying involved that administration decided to counsel the "victims."?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree with the positive statements about Cooper's administration, especially principal Arlene Randall. (Hope she does not retire soon.) Great leader, does not give in to pushy parents or bullies of any kind.

In other ways the school culture strongly emphasizes kindness as a value as well. As you walk through the halls, you see every door has a different quote on the topic.

I expect it was easier for Randall to keep tabs on individual Cooper students than it was for Kihm to keep tabs on individual Longfellow students, when Cooper had 750 kids and Longfellow had 1375 kids, including a lot of AAP kids whose base school was Cooper.

Things will change as the enrollments at Cooper increase and at Longfellow decrease. Kihm is generally very involved, and Longfellow also takes specific steps that emphasize kindness as a value, including recognizing students for generally being kind to their peers. That's actually been a positive change at the school - when our first started there, the only students who seemed to be recognized were AAP students winning Science Olympiad awards or getting named to some top orchestra.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with the positive statements about Cooper's administration, especially principal Arlene Randall. (Hope she does not retire soon.) Great leader, does not give in to pushy parents or bullies of any kind.

In other ways the school culture strongly emphasizes kindness as a value as well. As you walk through the halls, you see every door has a different quote on the topic.

I expect it was easier for Randall to keep tabs on individual Cooper students than it was for Kihm to keep tabs on individual Longfellow students, when Cooper had 750 kids and Longfellow had 1375 kids, including a lot of AAP kids whose base school was Cooper.

Things will change as the enrollments at Cooper increase and at Longfellow decrease. Kihm is generally very involved, and Longfellow also takes specific steps that emphasize kindness as a value, including recognizing students for generally being kind to their peers. That's actually been a positive change at the school - when our first started there, the only students who seemed to be recognized were AAP students winning Science Olympiad awards or getting named to some top orchestra.

Cooper has had AAP for two years now and it's no different for my daughter than when my son attended Cooper before AAP. My kids have not experienced any kind bullying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with the positive statements about Cooper's administration, especially principal Arlene Randall. (Hope she does not retire soon.) Great leader, does not give in to pushy parents or bullies of any kind.

In other ways the school culture strongly emphasizes kindness as a value as well. As you walk through the halls, you see every door has a different quote on the topic.

I expect it was easier for Randall to keep tabs on individual Cooper students than it was for Kihm to keep tabs on individual Longfellow students, when Cooper had 750 kids and Longfellow had 1375 kids, including a lot of AAP kids whose base school was Cooper.

Things will change as the enrollments at Cooper increase and at Longfellow decrease. Kihm is generally very involved, and Longfellow also takes specific steps that emphasize kindness as a value, including recognizing students for generally being kind to their peers. That's actually been a positive change at the school - when our first started there, the only students who seemed to be recognized were AAP students winning Science Olympiad awards or getting named to some top orchestra.

Cooper has had AAP for two years now and it's no different for my daughter than when my son attended Cooper before AAP. My kids have not experienced any kind bullying.

That's great for your kids, but other kids may have different experiences, whether at Cooper, Longfellow, or any other middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What was the bullying involved that administration decided to counsel the "victims."?

In the case that I know of, the victim (a white girl) was singing along with a rap song and a black girl screamed at her, telling her it "wasn't her music." She then proceeded to physically (punch and slap) the victim for about a week afterwards in the hallways.

[Anonymous]

^^^This was at Longfellow.

[Anonymous]

Regarding the whole AAP thing, I see this even at the elementary school level. Some teachers take the time to focus on the whole child and they don't tolerate the arrogant "better than thou" attitude. The focus is on your are awesome because you work hard and are kind to others rather than you are awesome because you are smart.The experts and some research even suggests it is detrimental to to praise smarts over hard work and kindness. So....if the teachers and parents don't emphasize character and work ethic over "you are better because you have a higher IQ" some kids will behave accordingly. Some are innately able to show good character, others need prodding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What was the bullying involved that administration decided to counsel the "victims."?

In the case that I know of, the victim (a white girl) was singing along with a rap song and a black girl screamed at her, telling her it "wasn't her music." She then proceeded to physically (punch and slap) the victim for about a week afterwards in the hallways.

Did they speak to the counselor together? That would have been ideal. If the rap music had the n word then that is very touchy and it needs to be spelled out that nobody should be using that word, even signing with rap. It would have been helpful for the AAgirl to be able to explain what offended her and for the other girl to explain her intentions. I cannot imagine instead choosing a "victim support group" for intervention.

My kid once was accused of being "racist" by another-a word thrown around way too much in middle school. What the other child didn't know is my kid is 50% the same ethnic group as he was and we saw nothing racist in his use of an accent he hears with his own relatives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What was the bullying involved that administration decided to counsel the "victims."?

In the case that I know of, the victim (a white girl) was singing along with a rap song and a black girl screamed at her, telling her it "wasn't her music." She then proceeded to physically (punch and slap) the victim for about a week afterwards in the hallways.

Did they speak to the counselor together? That would have been ideal. If the rap music had the n word then that is very touchy and it needs to be spelled out that nobody should be using that word, even signing with rap. It would have been helpful for the AAgirl to be able to explain what offended her and for the other girl to explain her intentions. I cannot imagine instead choosing a "victim support group" for intervention.

My kid once was accused of being "racist" by another-a word thrown around way too much in middle school. What the other child didn't know is my kid is 50% the same ethnic group as he was and we saw nothing racist in his use of an accent he hears with his own relatives.

If pp posted a true story, then the school has gone pc nutso. The second poster's reply is pc garbage. I would never use the "n" word, but if the AA community keeps defending their own use of it, then it is still "out" there. As long as the word is present in society, it is open for abuse. As long as people like Whoopi Goldberg do not understand that, it will continue to be used.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What was the bullying involved that administration decided to counsel the "victims."?

In the case that I know of, the victim (a white girl) was singing along with a rap song and a black girl screamed at her, telling her it "wasn't her music." She then proceeded to physically (punch and slap) the victim for about a week afterwards in the hallways.

Did they speak to the counselor together? That would have been ideal. If the rap music had the n word then that is very touchy and it needs to be spelled out that nobody should be using that word, even signing with rap. It would have been helpful for the AAgirl to be able to explain what offended her and for the other girl to explain her intentions. I cannot imagine instead choosing a "victim support group" for intervention.

My kid once was accused of being "racist" by another-a word thrown around way too much in middle school. What the other child didn't know is my kid is 50% the same ethnic group as he was and we saw nothing racist in his use of an accent he hears with his own relatives.

If pp posted a true story, then the school has gone pc nutso. The second poster's reply is pc garbage. I would never use the "n" word, but if the AA community keeps defending their own use of it, then it is still "out" there. As long as the word is present in society, it is open for abuse. As long as people like Whoopi Goldberg do not understand that, it will continue to be used.

Not sure which story you are referring too. If it's the "racist" one that was me and it was handled very well (not at either of the schools mentioned). Kids use these words like "racist" flippantly and it was good for the 2 to talk it out with an adult facilitating. We live in a multicultural society and people need to understand eachother before jumping to conclusions. Better that a kid learn now not to make accusations so quickly. "Sexist" gets thrown around too and in many circumstances it is not appropriate. Kids need to understand when something is discrimination and when it isn't before they start throwing around accusations in college and the workforce.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’ve had four years of experience at Longfellow and never heard of a bullying problem. We have a very high opinion of how Ms. Kihm runs the school.

I suspect there is one parent or child who keeps posting these extreme versions of how Longfellow is run.

I also find all these posts saying bullying happens because of the AAP program to be suspect.

x10000

I wonder if the non AAP posters (OP) are looking for trouble where there is none. Watch it, the admin knows who you are, seriously - they didn't just fall off the turnip truck.

We have had kids at both Longfellow and Cooper and have seen no bullying. If you do, then address it with your child, but don't go in to any school anticipating that there will be a problem, or you just might create one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’ve had four years of experience at Longfellow and never heard of a bullying problem. We have a very high opinion of how Ms. Kihm runs the school.

I suspect there is one parent or child who keeps posting these extreme versions of how Longfellow is run.

I also find all these posts saying bullying happens because of the AAP program to be suspect.

x10000

I wonder if the non AAP posters (OP) are looking for trouble where there is none. Watch it, the admin knows who you are, seriously - they didn't just fall off the turnip truck.

We have had kids at both Longfellow and Cooper and have seen no bullying. If you do, then address it with your child, but don't go in to any school anticipating that there will be a problem, or you just might create one.

What a strange post!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What was the bullying involved that administration decided to counsel the "victims."?

In the case that I know of, the victim (a white girl) was singing along with a rap song and a black girl screamed at her, telling her it "wasn't her music." She then proceeded to physically (punch and slap) the victim for about a week afterwards in the hallways.

Did they speak to the counselor together? That would have been ideal. If the rap music had the n word then that is very touchy and it needs to be spelled out that nobody should be using that word, even signing with rap. It would have been helpful for the AAgirl to be able to explain what offended her and for the other girl to explain her intentions. I cannot imagine instead choosing a "victim support group" for intervention.

My kid once was accused of being "racist" by another-a word thrown around way too much in middle school. What the other child didn't know is my kid is 50% the same ethnic group as he was and we saw nothing racist in his use of an accent he hears with his own relatives.

You must be joking. The AA girl not only screamed at the other girl for singing rap, she also punched and slapped her for a week afterwards. Frankly, who cares what "offended" her?? She should be suspended, full stop. I can't believe anyone would even, for a minute, decide to ask someone who is punching and slapping another student, what it was that "offended" her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What was the bullying involved that administration decided to counsel the "victims."?

In the case that I know of, the victim (a white girl) was singing along with a rap song and a black girl screamed at her, telling her it "wasn't her music." She then proceeded to physically (punch and slap) the victim for about a week afterwards in the hallways.

Did they speak to the counselor together? That would have been ideal. If the rap music had the n word then that is very touchy and it needs to be spelled out that nobody should be using that word, even signing with rap. It would have been helpful for the AAgirl to be able to explain what offended her and for the other girl to explain her intentions. I cannot imagine instead choosing a "victim support group" for intervention.

My kid once was accused of being "racist" by another-a word thrown around way too much in middle school. What the other child didn't know is my kid is 50% the same ethnic group as he was and we saw nothing racist in his use of an accent he hears with his own relatives.

If pp posted a true story, then the school has gone pc nutso. The second poster's reply is pc garbage. I would never use the "n" word, but if the AA community keeps defending their own use of it, then it is still "out" there. As long as the word is present in society, it is open for abuse. As long as people like Whoopi Goldberg do not understand that, it will continue to be used.

Exactly. Enough of this BS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’ve had four years of experience at Longfellow and never heard of a bullying problem. We have a very high opinion of how Ms. Kihm runs the school.

I suspect there is one parent or child who keeps posting these extreme versions of how Longfellow is run.

I also find all these posts saying bullying happens because of the AAP program to be suspect.

x10000

I wonder if the non AAP posters (OP) are looking for trouble where there is none. Watch it, the admin knows who you are, seriously - they didn't just fall off the turnip truck.

We have had kids at both Longfellow and Cooper and have seen no bullying. If you do, then address it with your child, but don't go in to any school anticipating that there will be a problem, or you just might create one.

What a strange post!

Agreed. Sounds like the PP wants everyone to think the AAP crowd runs the show.