BEAVERTON, Ore. — Parents at one Beaverton school are frustrated by what they're calling an overwhelming problem with bullying, and a lack of response to their concerns,
On Monday night, several parents whose kids attend Fir Grove Elementary School took their concerns to the school board.
One of those parents, Bryan Reynolds, said on Oct. 3 a bully pushed his second-grade daughter on the playground so hard that she fell and broke her wrist. Reynolds said the principal told him there would be an action plan in response to the incident, but she couldn't share details with him because of privacy policies.
It's hard to take assurances like that seriously, Reynolds said, given what happened when his daughter returned to school.
"That same day we'd been told by the principal there's going to be an action plan ... there he is on the swing set, telling my daughter, 'I need your swing,'" Reynolds said. "I don't know how to keep my child safe."
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Several other parents shared their own experiences and frustration with how Fir Grove is handling student discipline.
"Honestly, it feels like our concerns are falling on deaf ears," said parent Stephanie Morris. "We're just really, really frustrated."
Fir Grove Principal Erin Miles touched on the school's disruptive behavior action plan during her own presentation at the school board meeting. She said the school is giving teachers time off to meet with a special education team and a student success coach to, among other things, help kids understand how their behavior impacts their community.
"With that time, we create plans with students in mind," Miles said. "Not just the students who have the behavior needs but with the entire classroom of learners. We really make an impact with families."
Reynolds said he and other concerned parents would continue voicing their concerns until school discipline policies change. He said he would also consider filing a lawsuit against the district to better protect students.
"It's just been compounding and building," Reynolds said. "It doesn’t seem like there's any solution."
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