Springfield parent urges stronger enforcement after son faces bullying at Kylie Prep School

Kayana Coleman, a Springfield parent, told the Springfield City School Committee during public comment that her son, who attends Kylie Prep School, has faced ongoing bullying and that current measures are insufficient.

Coleman said her son “holds a 3.58 in middle school, who is the head of student council in his school,” and described him as a “leader.” She told the committee that, because of bullying, “he has to go with the thought process that because he's an intelligent young man, he is regarded as a ******,” language the transcript redacted. Coleman said the school had implemented a safety plan and given him an unspecified accommodation, but she urged the committee to take stronger steps: “I think that if we can say that our children would do something and then the law takes it, you know, there's a consequence.”

She also raised concerns about conduct on the school bus, saying her son is a bus rider and asking the committee to “take this, seriously.” Coleman recalled that “I believe 2 years ago or 3, we lost a young man came home and hung himself due to being talked about,” and said she had reached out to that student’s parents without success. She asked the mayor and committee to approach the issue “as a parent” and to pursue change, saying, “I stand behind respect. I stand behind honor.”

The comments were made during the public speak-out portion of the meeting; the transcript does not record a response from school administrators or a formal committee action on bullying during this session.