There has been a video circulating of a student from Cooidge Middle School being attacked on her way home, by a group of bullies.
In the video, that has now made the Channel 4 news, you can clearly see and hear a mob of students chasing after this girl before she is tackled from behind and attacked.
The news station attempted to contact the school, and got no response.
Today Mr. Greenwald decided to address this situation on social media, here is his response.
"Good morning to everyone. I have spent the entire weekend addressing and commenting on the recent Coolidge situation on bullying. First of all we do everything we can, and will continue to work on keeping our schools safe. We deal with many parent, family, neighborhood issues which come to school. We handle them all, they are all very important to us, based on the issues at hand. I understand there is a survey/ petition out on this. I have also seen many negative statements from the public. We do our best with the resources we have. It’s a shame parents take negative exaggerated news to the media. Especially after we spend time problem solving with them. I’m not pleased with the media sensationalizing a case which was prompted by a parent call sight unseen. We are working around the clock on this and always strive to improve. We just need the improvement to take place by all stakeholders. We try to be on the same side of the table with parents, students, grandparents, and guardians. It needs to be a joint effort. As I’m typing this message I was just informed the survey has gone viral. So be it, that type of negativity is beyond my circle of control. Have a super day, I’m on my way to work with the children at Kindergarten. Respectfully, Jim Greenwald"
Absolutely no mention of regret or concern for the victim of this attack. No discussion of any action being considered to ensure the safety of this student upon her return to school.
Although, there were several statements mentioned that expressed the frustration and aggravation obviously felt from Mr. Greenwald over the "Petition/survey, that he states have went "viral". He also mentions "negative statements from public" and how " It’s a shame parents take negative exaggerated news to the media."
"Negative and exaggerated news to the media". Mr. Greenwald, what part of this story is positive? What part is "exaggerated"? The video is unaltered proof of exactly what happened to this young student.
"I’m not pleased with the media sensationalizing a case which was prompted by a parent call sight unseen."
Mr. Greenwald, what part of this story did the media sensationalize? The video, especially the audio is unquestionable proof of this mob/gang style attack. What part of this media coverage was prompted by a "sight unseen" phone call? The attack was all captured by cell phone video that went viral on social media. There is nothing "sight unseen" about that.
Mr. Greenwald, in your address to the public and parents of district 9, you offer no possible solutions or ideas about keeping the students safe from bullies and physical attacks, such as the one caught on this video.
You certainly did make your displeasure quite clear about the media being contacted over this incident. Your frustration over the district's parents circulating a survey/petition was quite obvious as well. What appears to be a large source of aggravation to you is, your inability to shut the communication down between the parents and students that is taking place all over social media.
At the end of the Channel 4 news coverage of this incident, the mother states that the district offered her daughter a 5 minute head start on her journey home after school, as a solution for not getting caught and attacked again.
This is an embarrassing and sad offer on the part of the district Mr. Greenwald. This is not the Hunger Games, this situation is not a sport to where you are offering up a handicap, so the victim has a better chance at out running the hunters, or in this case, the Coolidge Middle School bullies.
This has happened on your watch Mr. Greenwald, you have to do better than this. You have to put your displeasures and frustrations with social media and the news station on the back burner and come up with some sound solutions to this bullying problem and physical attacks and fighting among the students. Children should not have to be afraid to attend school.
When you watch this video turn up the volume to hear the mob mentality of this group of students.
on November 14, 2017, 9:47 pm