After police raided her home one Saturday night in July, the mother of a bullied St. Albert teen is looking to the new Education Act for justice.
The woman, who wished to remain anonymous to avoid her family’s further victimization, explained that her 15-year-old son has been bullied verbally, socially and physically for more than a year by two neighbourhood youth.
The bullying escalated from name calling to having her family home fall prey to the game of “ding, dong, ditch” in the early hours of the morning.
“We’ve had dog feces smeared on our front door, in our window and placed in our mailbox,” she said. “But it all culminated to these boys … placing a 911 call and saying that they were being beaten up and afraid to be murdered in my basement.”
Six squad cars surrounded her home and police burst through the front door. Although officers were able to verify the false allegations made by the teens and subsequently charged them under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the mother is concerned her son will endure further victimization while attending an extra credit program with one of the youth bullies this summer.
“I was talking to one of the teachers and said … ‘can you keep your eye on this situation?’ What was suggested to me was that maybe my son shouldn’t go.”
“We’re being traumatized … and now it’s like we’re being victimized by the school,” she said. “As a parent, what do you do when bullying goes too far?”
Alberta’s new Education Act, which was passed in the legislature earlier this year, won’t come into effect until September 2015. The act has been applauded for its provisions to curb bullying both on the playground as well as online.
The act includes “responsibilities” for both students and members of the school board to respect the rights of others, refrain from, report and not tolerate bullying or bullying behaviour, and the establishment of a student code of conduct that addresses bullying.
The legislation states that students can be suspended if they fail to comply with the code of conduct.
“Every situation is unique, but there are consequences in our schools for bullying when we are made aware of it,” said Paula Power, communications co-ordinator for St. Albert Public Schools. “These consequences can range from working with the students and their families to suspensions and expulsions.”
Power explained that it’s hard to say how the new Education Act will impact bullying in schools since the regulations – which set out how the legislation is translated into action – are in the process of being written.
“Those regulations, when they are finalized, will guide us and let us know how to interpret the act,” she added.
School staff aren’t the only ones who deal with bullying. RCMP are also involved when these situations arise both on and off school grounds.
“A lot of times it involves a number of people. It’s very emotional and very damaging, whether (the bullying) is physical or emotional. Everyone has a different perception of what occurs,” said Const. Janice Schoepp of the St. Albert RCMP, admitting that bullying situations are very difficult to handle but the ultimate goal is resolution.
Schoepp noted that any time a bullying situation involves RCMP it is documented and noted for future reference. She advises people to report bullying, as well as document instances of harm and distress caused by bullying behaviour themselves.
“If you don’t (report),” she said. “You’re giving someone else the power to hold over you.”
