My name is Tiffany. I'm 14 years old. I'm in 9th grade in the Benton Area School District.I got bullied since 3rd grade. I never did anything to stop it. I never fought back... I just took it. I was always to scared to say something back to the bully. I told the school though. & My parents. I cried to my mom everyday after school. My mom was calling the school everyday about it. She wanted something too be done, but they never did anything.. I continued to get bullied. Everyday I was so upset. I never wanted to go to school. I was so depressed. One day in art me & a 17 year old got into an argument, but I didn't think anything of it, I thought it was done & over with. A couple days after that, I was walking out of the school to my bus, when a 18 year old came up to me with the 17 year old & told me to stop "Talking Crap" about her friend. I was confused & had no idea what she was talking about. She was in my face screaming. So I told her to "Get Out Of My Face". After I told her to get out of my face, she punched me in the right side of my face & grabbed me by the hair. Like I said, I never really fought back to the bully, but this time I did. I was scared & wanted her to let go of me, so I was hitting her back. I snapped out. I kept hitting her until she let me go. After she let me go I just walked away, & got on my bus. My best friend looked at me & asked me why I was bleeding. I didn't even know I was. She pointed out a big scratch that went down my chest from the 18 year old. That's when I realized what happened. It was kind of like I hit my breaking point & just snapped. I liked blacked out. I went home & told my mom everything. My mom told me were going to the school the next morning. She drove me to school & we told the principal everything. The principal sent me to class. I figured I wasn't going to get in trouble. I mean it was self-defense. Right? I was only 14 & a 18 year old hit me. around 11:30 I got called down to the office. & my mom & a officer was sitting there. I was so confused on what was going on. I sat down & the officer explained to me how the 18 year old was pressing chargers for me hitting her. I was so confused. She hit me first. I was defending myself against a 18 year old. I didn't understand it. I thought she would be the one in trouble, because she is the one that hit a minor. Then the principal told me I was suspended from school for 10 days. I understood why. In the school policy book. It said there can't be any physical contact. So I didn't argue about this. but then... the principal told me how I can get expelled for this. So I take it as I'm getting thrown out of school because I defended myself against a 18 year old bully who was hitting me first. I'm asking for your help. I'm hoping by getting enough signatures on this petition the school will change there mind and allow me to stay in school.

Hi my name is Heather, I am Tiffany's mother. I just wanted to add something here to clear up any confusion. There are charges filed against the 18yr old who initiated the fight. The problem we are having is that the school has given my daughter a 10 day suspension with the possibility of expulsion. The 18yr. old girl already goes to our school districts alternative school. There were many witnesses to this fight, including adults who said my daughter only acted in self defense. My daughter is very confused over why she is being punished for this. I told her that sometimes in life we do the right thing but get punished for it, but at least she can know in her heart that she did nothing wrong. 

We greatly appreciate everyone's support. It means the world to my daughter to know that there are good people still here to support her.