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Parents and advocates press Wayne County schools for stronger anti-bullying and mental-health responses
Summary
Multiple community members testified about persistent bullying and the mental-health consequences for students; the superintendent described existing policies and referenced technology's role in amplifying harm.
Parents, a community advocate and school employees used the board's public-comment time to press Wayne County school leaders for clearer responses to bullying and expanded mental-health supports.
Jocelyn Wallace, a therapist at Goldsboro Counseling Center, said she works across the county and asked, "what do I do as an advocator? What do I tell them? How do I help?" She described repeated instances where callers and parents received inconsistent responses from schools and referenced a recent death: "we've had a 12 year old to commit suicide recently in this community, and that saddens me deeply. This bullying has got to stop."
Nicole Lofton, who said she works with children across the community, said behavior is often driven by "a root cause" outside school and called for a coordinated, communitywide response: "as people who are in charge of our children I think, teachers, I think administrations, I think counselors when you see something, you know what I'm saying, a change in a student, it's always a root cause for behavior." Lofton urged the board to "look at what's going on with our youth" and to "tweak some things" over the summer.
Kathy Larson, who also spoke about arts cuts, referenced bullying when describing how students' nonacademic needs affect behavior.
Superintendent Dr. Richard responded that bullying today is "very, very different" than in the past because incidents are repeatedly replayed on electronic devices and said that is why he "stand[s] so firmly behind keeping electronic devices out of our... classrooms." He added, "We do have robust policies in place that we stand behind... We will not tolerate knowing that a child is being bullied and not take action." He said administrators and the board care about these issues and that district staff work daily "to make a positive difference for this school system."
Board members and staff noted they will review current policies and resources; during a later agenda item on vaping sensors, staff said the policy committee will consider an "alternative to suspension cessation program" that would offer substance-abuse counseling and resources as an alternative for students caught with vapes. No immediate policy change was adopted during the meeting.
