Schools must do more to head off bullying

The letter from Heather Pearson on the bullying of her daughter only confirms my opinion of school principals and others in authority. When a young person kills himself because of bullying, the school reacts immediately to bring in counselors to help the children overcome what happened.

But to do something up front, it’s not in their manual and, therefore, they can’t do anything about it. What poppycock.

The principals want big salaries but can’t control the activities in their school. Why don’t they have the counselors come in now and talk to the kids causing the problem and after the first incident give them a one-week suspension? After the second incident, expel them.

Now the parents will need to find them another school to go to and probably drive them there and pick them up. I’m sure they will not be happy. And I’m sure after this happens a couple of times, the parents of the bullies will have a serious talk with them because they don’t want to miss work to drive them to school.

If necessary, put this in the school policy manual, include bullying on Facebook and any other electronic medium, so the principals have their butts covered.

They will not have to think — just follow the manual.

Robert Chmela

Elgin