Stop the Bullying at Shields Middle School

It's time for school officials to take responsibility!

Bullying seems to worse since the removal of " inappropriate behavior" for use in suspensions. It is aimed to keep kids in school instead of being suspended and missing classes. The big crack down on NOT using discipline and the Dear Colleague letters from DOE last year on disciplining for "inappropriate behaviors" has backfired. The definition of bullying is fairly simple to most, however the SDHC has made it almost impossible to discipline for using their legal mumbo jumbo version. Almost everything is just a conflict among the kids. Rare to hear Admin. use the term bullying. That would mean having to admit they are failing at reducing it in schools. It is not just middle schools either..elementary schools in Hillsborough County are dealing with the bullying too.

Something needs to be done with the administration in this school! It seems they have been turning their heads to all this bullying.

I strongly disagree with bullying in schools and it's not fair to our children. They should be free to express themselves and not have to worry about this type of behavior. I really hope that the children at this school will feel safe again and the bullying STOPS!

Bullying at all schools is an issue and a stop needs to be put to it immediately.

Bullying should be banned from every school

Yes the staff are bullies too!!

I had to watch a video where my daughter got hit and she did noting and got 3 days ISS. Was told by Jackson she deserved it and if she would have hit back they would have suspended the other girl. What are they teaching here??

Students and parents of those who are bulling other kids should have to be penalized. Only with harsh punishment from the school officials (no warnings) is that bullies would understand that is not a joke and if they dicided to act this way they will be hold responsible and have to pay the consequences. If their parents at home are not doing their job then some one else should teach them what is right and what's not.

My son was being bullied from the first day of the 6th grade now he's in the 8th grade. I had to teach him how to defend his self...now the teachers and Ap are doing the bullying.. Smh

The staff also are bully's one teacher told my son he was waste of space and oxygen and he admitted to it students witnessed it and wrote a statement I still nothing happened to the teacher

There is a problem and it starts with the school administration!

Our community will not our children to be bullied.

This really must stop. Please listen to your children

While I agree they experience the same problems, I feel shields' problem has not changed since I was in school back in '09. The bullying is just as sever and the order in which it is handled has no changed and I say this through experience and through family who have experienced the same thing. With so many reports made not a single thing was made and the bullying was not prevented. Even after being advised with enough time. There is definitely two different stories to this story. Students claim that the administration is doing nothing to help prevent bullying I believe it so after seeing it for myself with my family members who come home scared hoping not to return because they fear the bullying will continue. There should also conduct an administrative check with the way they teach and handle students.

Praying for change

my child was bullied by staff and students. Every staff member covers for the other. I had to remove her....her life was in danger.

I have seen behaviors that are beyond Bullying in the neighborhood closest to Thompson Middle School, after Lennard High School lets out and when Sheilds Middle School Bus drops off students. I have broken up fights myself and have called police several times. I have seen taunting and encouragement of the taunting by others who have their cameras/phones out to film it. This has been going on for quit a few years. When an adult answers a question about Bullying (in their school) with the rote response that "we don't have anymore problems than others' (schools) do." That's deflecting from the problem. If people speak up, you can bet there is a problem "more than others' have." Educators need to know that they are supported by all, especially their administrations and their community. They need to be encouraged themselves to be proactive and realize that they are the "Bigfish" that can and should make a difference. (From the book "Weakfish" about a kid bullied throughout school...) Our kids cannot get a quality education or have a quality social experience so that they can contribute to being productive members of society, if they feel unsafe and unsupported by those that should be supporting them. "People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care."

This has been an on-going issue since my child was a 6th grader and Hope was an 8th Grader at Shields. It continues on into Lennard High School presently. I encourage all involved to be proactive. Speak up! Fill out Bullying Report Forms via the School and or County. Read the book "Weakfish", which was required reading by all School Resource Deputies and Administrators some years ago. (Great insight about kid that was bullied throughout all his schooling, save one school and why?), I am a Parent and an Educator, and I do believe "It takes a Village" (African Proverb, not a Hillary Clinton Quote).

Start holding the parents accountable. These kids are not afraid of authority because they have more rights than the victims.