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8th-grader tells Pecatonica board bullying is harming students; board says it will look into action
Summary
McKenna Gilpin, an 8th grader at Pecatonica Middle School, told the board tonight that bullying has affected her academics and mental health and urged disciplinary and prevention steps; the board thanked her and said it would consider how to respond.
"My name is McKenna Gilpin. I'm an 8th grader at Pecatonica Middle School," McKenna told the board during public forum, describing verbal and emotional harassment she said has harmed her school performance and mental health and urging the board to take action on discipline and prevention.
Board President praised the student’s courage and said the issue has been discussed previously; administrators and trustees said they would look for additional or different approaches to address bullying and student support. The board did not take an immediate vote or direct a formal policy change during the public comment period.
McKenna noted the timing near Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and asked the board to prioritize supports. The board’s response was to acknowledge the seriousness of bullying, thank her for coming forward and indicate administration will explore options and next steps.
What happens next: The board and district administration said they would review current practices and consider bringing proposals back to the board, potentially for discussion at the upcoming Oct. 7 special meeting or at regular committee meetings.
