Healing despite school bullying

To the editor:

(re: “Family takes St. Margaret’s, principal to court,” April 6)

Unfortunately, too many children have taken their life due to bullying.

It saddened me to read about Ms. Kristin Hernandez’s pleas for help at St. Margaret of Cortona School in the bullying of her daughter — very glad that she is alive — which were allegedly not taken seriously by the school.

I recall how different things were when I was going to grade school in North Bergen, New Jersey. I, too, was once bullied and cornered in the school stairwell by a girl who all the kids feared, and was hit a couple of times. I was shaken because I knew that it could happen again, and mentioned it to my mother.

As Ms. Hernandez did, my mother reported the incident to my school.

The following day, all of us students were sitting and waiting for our class to start. With the classroom door opened, I saw our principal and my teachers talking quietly and very seriously together. I seemed to know that they must have been talking about what happened to me the day before.

I don’t know what words were exchanged with the bully, but she never approached me nor did she bully me again. My principal, teachers and administration had my back and showed me that they had zero tolerance for bullying or any behavior hindering another student’s well-being.

What happened to me was nothing compared to the taunting and bullying this young student allegedly endured at St. Margaret’s.

When a parent drops their child off at school, they can no longer protect them. It becomes the responsibility of the school to make their students a priority, and do everything they can for a safe and healthy environment.

This goes for school shootings, too. Assault weapon bans and mental health issues are all well and good, but there is a lot of politics involved — taking years, and taking the blame away from school. Our kids are perishing and need protection now.

When school is dismissed, parents are not only expecting their child alive, but also that they are not mentally or physically stressed and frightened due to school bullying.

Mr. and Mrs. Hernandez, my wish is that your daughter heals and thrives. She may be the one to make positive changes one day.

Andrea Tekirian