Posted on 05/27/2004 1:18:08 PM PDT by Roberts
Student Whose Hair Set Afire Told To Stay Home Alleged Attacker Remains In School
POSTED: 8:23 am MDT May 26, 2004 UPDATED: 11:07 am MDT May 26, 2004
DENVER -- A 13-year-old Denver girl said she was threatened with a knife at her middle school and her hair was set on fire, yet she was the one who was told to stay home for the remainder of the school year while her alleged attacker wasn't suspended or even investigated.
Courtney Glowczewski has a small right arm and leg because of cerebral palsy, a disability that her teachers say has not kept her from working hard in school and being a good student.
"I do really good in my classes. My teachers tell me, 'Good job,' and, 'You're doing very good,' and 'Excellent girl,'" said Glowczewski.
But her physical appearance has made her a target of taunting and of physical attack, which she said has never been addressed by the administration at Martin Luther King Middle School. Last week, she said the bullying got worse when she said she was threatened and assaulted by a seventh grade boy.
"He pulled out a knife, a silver knife, a pocket knife, and then he said 'What!?' So I was scared and didn't know what to do," said Glowczewski.
As she walked to her seat she smelled smoke and one of her classmates was patting her hard on the back.
"I looked and there was a black spot on the back of my shirt. And then I saw some black hair falling from my hair," said Glowczewski.
Her hair was on fire and the other student said that she was trying to help put it out.
Her mother, Sherrie, was called to school when her daughter reported the incident to the assistant principal. Sherrie Glowczewski was outraged when she was told by the administration at Martin Luther King that her daughter didn't need to come back and not to worry about the tests.
"I just wanted to go to a school that doesn't make fun of me. I wanted to be treated with respect," Glowczewski said, crying.
Meanwhile, her mother has made repeated phone calls to the assistant principal.
"I have no idea what they've done. That's why I want to speak to her. I want to know what happened to (the bullying suspect) and what's going on in that school," said Sherrie Glowczewski.
7NEWS discovered that while Glowczewski was sent home, her alleged attacker is still in school, even though administrators confirmed he had a knife.
The principal has now admitted her staff did not call police, did not interview potential witnesses, and did not conduct a proper investigation.
"He shouldn't come back in school. I should be in school taking my education and it's not fair," said Glowczewski.
The interim principal at Martin Luther King Middle School declined an on-camera interview, but said her staff made serious mistakes in this case and that she will offer Glowczewski and her family a summer school program and transportation.
Meanwhile, both Mark Stevens, the spokesman for Denver Public Schools, and the superintendent declined to discuss the case or DPS policy for dealing with such issues. That seems to be the same response Glowczewski's parents got when they complained to the administration.
http://www.dpsk12.org/schools/e/Middle/419.shtml
The student body ethnic statistics are at this link.
In reading the story about this unfortunate girl one can't help but wonder where in the hell is the father?
You are Correct. This fear from NCLB is making schools more dangerous rather than safer.
You did exactly right. Good for you!
This is very common at All schools, not just those named after Martin Luther King. You can add Mercer High School in Mercer, Pennsylvania to the list.
Reason #2137 for home educating your children.
Lots of Polish Jewish families. This family name comes up in searches for Jewish connections.
She's white and might be Jewish in a school that is mostly Black and Hispanic (lots of Calypso Louie and Aztlan influence?). Not a good situation.
Yes. Unfortunately that doesn't neccessarily help the system, unless the bureaucrats take a lesson from it. But that's an uphill battle. Meanwhile, the taxpayer pays for professional follies. Darn shame. Prayers for the girl.
And to degenerates, criminals, angels, family, politicians, domestics, foreigners, friends, foes, pro's, cons, and ect's!
But not to Liberals for they have the gray area to allow them to aim their "directive" (term used loosely) to any direction that creates a living and breathing promotion to their agenda which may change day by day. ; )
Your error is commendable! ; )
ping
What a jag-off.
Ah, don't ya just love liberal school officials? Why, we should never use force, we should all just...Seig HEIL!!
Yes, we would no doubt be speaking German now if we were all lke that POS in 1941.
To be honest, I was aiming for his eye and missed.
That’s OK - the nose is more painful.
Backbone? We don need no stinkin backbone!
School statistics?
No way!
Grade 8 math:5 percent proficient!
This looks more like a warehouse with a faculty lounge.
Remember that case in Oklahoma where a girl wanted to wear a headscarf to school because she was a Muslim, and the school suspended her?
The government got involved in that case double-quick. I figure they can do the same with this girl if her mother makes a big enough stink and doesn't back down. Let the school officials try to hide behind "confidentiality" when dealing with the feds.
It's amazing what school officials think they can get away with.
For instance, we have a case in my state where a student developed a web page on his own time, and the school tried to discipline him for it because they didn't like his comments about the school, his teachers, or some school administrators. The comments were fairly insulting, but innocuous. Well, guess what? He has first amendment rights. He is suing in federal court, and he is going to win big time, because the school made a mountain out of a mole hill, suspended him, and prevented him from taking entrance exams for entrance into a well-regarded magnet school, among other things.
The school board attorney actually said he thought the boy's rights weren't being abused, which makes you wonder in what country the school board attorney got his law degree.
Back at you ;-D!
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