TURNER — Emotions were high Thursday night at Maine School Administrative District 52’s board of directors meeting, where numerous parents and students pleaded with the board to do more to address bullying.

“I have a fourth-grader who has gone from loving school to hating school,” said Ashley Vandiver of Turner. “Just two weeks ago, he said on the playground that he did not want to go to school anymore, and he wished he was dead.”

“I think that’s why so many parents are here, and I don’t want to speak for anybody else; it’s because we love our kids and we see where this can end,” Vandiver said. “At 9 years old, when there is a child that no longer wants to go to school because of how horrible he feels about himself, because of a small group of bullies that continue to pick at the same children over and over and over, it’s not OK.”

Vandiver said administrators have followed up with each reported incident.

“This is an ongoing fundamental problem,” she added.

Superintendent Kimberly Brandt and several school principals acknowledged the problem, stating that they’ve seen a rise in behavioral and mental health challenges this year. Many cited education disruptions and other difficulties caused by the pandemic as the primary cause.

“I don’t think we can understate — or overstate, I should say — the impact of that interruption,” Leavitt Area High School Principal Eben Shaw said.

The school board voted March 3 to send a survey to gather more information from students, staff and parents regarding the school climate.

Most commonly, staff are seeing problems arise from “understanding and following through on general expectations, whether that be in a classroom, the cafeteria, the hallways, or interactions between peers,” Shaw said.

Some students more than others have born the brunt of their peers’ poor behavior.

One woman, who did not share her name, told the school board that her ninth grade daughter has tried to kill herself twice because of bullying.

“We’ve had to pull my kid out of this school and have her do remote learning and tutoring for her to stay alive, because if she continues to go to this school, she’ll die,” she said, close to tears. “A kid every day is telling her to kill herself and it’s too bad she has not succeeded. That’s just one of the incidents.”

She said she’s met with school administrators at least seven times regarding her daughter’s situation.

“The policies that have been in play have not worked,” she said.

Jackson Goddard, a fourth grade student at Turner Elementary School, stepped up to the podium to speak, wearing a shirt with the words “Be a buddy, not a bully.”

“The bully made fun of my shirt, said I look ugly and that made me feel really sad,” Goddard said. “He also tripped me, punched me in the eye, shoved me, making me fall on my knees and hands. I want bullying to end, forever and always.”

“Children often say what teachers want to hear … but then are cruel to others,” Turner Elementary School student Ella Myers said. “The kindness thing? That’s forced also and no one does it proper. Kids get all these reminders to be nice and don’t bully, but people still do it, they still bully. There is so much toxic behavior, it makes school unbearable. I’ve heard the R-word and so many things related to it so many times.”

Forcing students to write reflections doesn’t work, she said. She believes students need to be held accountable for their poor behavior.

While the pandemic certainly intensified behavioral problems, bullying has long been a challenge for educators to address.

Some parents said they had lost trust in the district following meetings with administrators, which did not lead to improvements.

At the March 3 meeting, Jeff Marquis of Turner told the board one of his four children has been repeatedly bullied by the same student over the past three years. He again spoke at public comment Thursday.

Administrators promised to put the two children in different classes after the end of the school year, he said. They were separated before the pandemic, but were again put in the same class this year.

“I am beyond angry at this point,” he said.

His son, he said, has stopped reporting problems to administrators because “nobody listens and nothing changes.”

ADMINISTRATORS RESPOND

It’s not always easy to come to a resolution in cases of bullying, Brandt said, adding that administrators and school staff are fully committed to supporting students, whether it takes one meeting or regular meetings to work through individual problems.

The most powerful tool the district has is collaboration between students, parents and administrators, Brandt said.

“It’s not fighting, it’s not posting stuff on social media,” she said. “It’s getting together and talking about what can we do to make it better for the children.”

“Educators are in this line of work because they care about children,” she added. “We exist for the students, that’s the whole point. So people have been working … really hard throughout the pandemic. And then to hear that some families feel that situations around behaviors are not being taken seriously … it’s hurtful.”

Before the pandemic, the district conducted a school climate survey modeled after one from the Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports. Brandt is planning to send the same survey to parents, students and staff, who will each receive different versions.

The district includes Turner, Greene and Leeds.

School administrators will be able to compare the results of the survey before and after the onset of the pandemic to gauge changes in MSAD 52 schools, which Brandt said would be “invaluable.”

Student behavior in the high school has been discussed at high school faculty meetings, as well as building leadership meetings, Shaw said. Several students have volunteered to help administrators brainstorm solutions to improve the school climate.

Shaw said students will be an “integral” part of addressing the problems.

School staff in other districts have similarly reported a rise in behavioral problems among students this year.

School administrators shared several programs and initiatives from the district meant to build positive relationships and support struggling students, in addition to the district’s bullying policies.

At the elementary school level, guidance counselors coach students on positive communication and interactions, teaching skills to cope with stress and anxiety. Social workers and crisis services are also available for students with individual education plans.

Students start the day with morning meetings, which allow teachers to “gauge where students are when they’re coming into the building and then providing them with supports if they need them,” Turner Primary School Principal Ryan Patrie said.

Middle school students participate in activities for 30 minutes each day, intended to build teamwork and communication among students. The middle school also has support staff for student’s mental well-being.

High school students have access to guidance counselors, social workers and a substance abuse counselor. However, Shaw noted that many of these staff members are at their limit.

“I think it’s important to note in this particular case that those caseloads are, if not at capacity, very close to capacity,” Shaw said, adding that the problem isn’t unique to this year.

Brandt is aiming to hire social workers to support young students in general education next year using federal relief funds. A school psychologist was also included in Brandt’s budget proposal.

School staff across departments will participate in mental health first aid training in March and April.

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