School’s handling of bullying has created ‘ill-will’ towards levies | Letter

Published 9:14 am Thursday, October 27, 2011

I am opposed to the proposal to institute the levy for the simple reason that the buildings of the school system are not the most important issues the district needs to address. The OISD has a declining enrollment not just due to demographic factors, but also because of the incompetent way in which bullying and harassment issues are handled by administrators and some teachers at the school which has forced students out of the school system.

My child felt compelled to withdraw from the school after years of experiencing bullying, harassment, and physical assault from students, from suffering degrading and disparaging remarks from some teachers that wither motivation, and by the inaction of the administrators in correcting this situation which is well known to them. My student finally was fed up with what she called the “toxic environment” at the school and walked out, never to return.

We have found that our student is not alone in having this experience with the OISD. There are many students at present and over the past years who have had this experience. This is a pattern that seems to be well-entrenched and shows no signs of abating.

We have also found that the ill-will created by this situation has been a major factor in having levy requests repeatedly denied. There are many in the community, now increased by at least 20 of our own voting family, friends and neighbors who are familiar with our situation, who repeatedly vote a resounding NO to ANY requests the OISD makes of voters.

It does not matter how many improvements go into the physical facilities of the school if even one student, let alone the many who are facing and have faced in the past, the toxic school environment that denies us the right to a quality education that the OISD has the responsibility to provide, and arrogantly refuses to address. Until this situation changes, we and our related bloc of voters will steadfastly vote against ANY new funding measures for the school.

Ken Salt