Soon after we moved here to Pennsylvania, Tanner became a victim of bullying.
All three of my children ride the bus together to school. The Elementary at the front, the Middle and High School kids toward the back. All of my children have the confidence and self-respect to stand up for themselves and to defend what is right. All of them have experienced verbal bullying - and Tanner stood up against two boys who were bullying him and other children. He told these boys to quit picking on these other children and so they turned their aggression to him. Because they could see that their verbal taunts were not effecting Tanner, one of the boys allowed it to make him really frustrated and he decided to lash out physically. He would punch Tanner in the leg every single day. He went to the bus driver and told him what was occurring. There was no change. Lindsey tried to defend Tanner and her hair was pulled and the bus driver told her that she shouldn't have gotten in the middle of it. Emily and her friend Molly came forward and tried to talk to this boy named Bobby. He just sneered at them and continued on punching Tanner on the afternoon bus ride home each day. I noticed Tanner not wanting to ride the bus, I was not sure why. After about three weeks of this happening each day, Tanner expressed to me in tears that he was being bullied physically every day. I remembered him telling me that Bobby had punched him one day, but I did not know it was happening EVERY DAY! I went to the school the next day and asked who I needed to speak with about a bus issue. I was directed immediately to an administrator who was in charge of the school district's transportation. I was assured that this would be investigated immediately, that there are camera's on each bus. I was apologized to, and assured that this was not something that I should have to handle or address with the offending child's parents, that this was something that the school would take care of. The bus driver was at fault for not filling a complaint when Tanner first told him of the problem. If he had, then the boys involved (including Tanner) would have been asked to come into the Principal's office and to explain their actions. Tanner had been let down by an adult in authority (the bus driver) and had not been helped like he should have. His trust in adults was shaken. After speaking with this administrator, I was able to speak with the principal of the primary school and he assured me that this behavior is not acceptable and asked my permission to call Tanner into his office the next school day to hear his story and address the behavior of these other boys with him. He explained that these boys would be warned and that if the behavior ever happened again that they would be off the bus for 5 days.
I was extremely happy with the way the school administration immediately handled our complaint. I just felt bad that it took so long (3 weeks of punches) for me to be made aware that Tanner was not getting help from adults that he should be able to trust! Can you imagine the fear and helplessness he must have been feeling? My heart aches and I cry just thinking about it!
But, I am also amazed at his bravery and his strength.
Tanner was named school citizen of the month for December!
His teacher commented that one of several reasons why he was chosen was
because of his kindness and standing against bullying on the bus.
I am truly proud and thankful for his loving heart!
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