Skip to comments.
Oakland: When school bullies get out of hand
San Francisco Chronicle ^
| 4/23/08
| Nanette Asimov
Posted on 04/24/2008 10:03:57 AM PDT by GSWarrior
Anthony Cataldo of Oakland first raised concerns about aggressive bullying at his son's elementary school last year after Zachary lost four teeth on the playground - but he said he received only a verbal assurance that things would change.
Cataldo said he complained again when some boys at school kicked 7-year-old Zachary in the stomach three months ago but got no response.
Now - two days after an older student slammed Zachary against a tree, fracturing his skull and sending the first-grader to intensive care - Cataldo is hiring a lawyer, and school officials are paying attention.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: bullies; bullying; california; crime; diversity; homeschool; oakland; publicschools; quagmire; thugs; violence
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41 next last
1
posted on
04/24/2008 10:03:57 AM PDT
by
GSWarrior
To: GSWarrior
From the linked article:
State records show that Piedmont Avenue Elementary is Oakland's second-most-violent elementary school, recording 97 suspensions last year for violence - including nine involving a weapon.
2
posted on
04/24/2008 10:05:04 AM PDT
by
GSWarrior
To: GSWarrior
To: GSWarrior
4
posted on
04/24/2008 10:06:32 AM PDT
by
Eurale
To: GSWarrior
recording 97 suspensions last year for violence - including nine involving a weaponPerhaps they can define weapon? That's a pretty broad brush.
In any event, that school sounds like a nightmare.
5
posted on
04/24/2008 10:06:55 AM PDT
by
Puppage
(You may disagree with what I have to say, but I shall defend to your death my right to say it)
To: Puppage
that school sounds like a nightmare - That city
To: GSWarrior
Cataldo is hiring a lawyer, and school officials are paying attention.
That's why they pay attention to the ACLU, too.
7
posted on
04/24/2008 10:10:23 AM PDT
by
Sopater
(A wise man's heart inclines him to the right, but a fool's heart to the left. ~ Ecclesiastes 10:2)
To: GSWarrior
His father said that in kindergarten last year, Zachary was on the playground when some fifth-graders who had been sent out of class for disciplinary reasons approached him and lifted him up. "One was spinning Zachary around," Cataldo said. Then he let go.
Zachary lost four teeth. I can't believe he left his child at that school after this; He's lucky he didn't get his neck broken.
8
posted on
04/24/2008 10:10:41 AM PDT
by
LongElegantLegs
(Kill them with kindness, then taser them for fun.)
To: GSWarrior
Saddler confirmed that elementary students across the district are often unsupervised unless they are enrolled in before- or after-school programs. "We don't have the finances to cover parents before the hours that school starts," Saddler said. "And after school, we do not have supervision for students who are not enrolled in after-school programs. We are very, very clear with parents that they need to make arrangements for their children."
This sounds like an entrepreneurial opportunity for homeschooled boys with martial arts training or football experience: Before- and after- school bodyguard to kindergarteners.
9
posted on
04/24/2008 10:12:07 AM PDT
by
Tax-chick
("A man grasps his sword in hand, takes his stance, and demands the true price of his hide.")
To: SF Republican
that school sounds like a nightmare - That city I stand corrected. That city, indeed!
10
posted on
04/24/2008 10:12:14 AM PDT
by
Puppage
(You may disagree with what I have to say, but I shall defend to your death my right to say it)
To: GSWarrior
Piedmont Avenue Elementary is Oakland's second-most-violent elementary school, recording 97 suspensions last year for violence
Does that mean that roughly 97 other students had to wind up in an ICU first?
11
posted on
04/24/2008 10:12:22 AM PDT
by
Sopater
(A wise man's heart inclines him to the right, but a fool's heart to the left. ~ Ecclesiastes 10:2)
To: GSWarrior
After the second incident, Cataldo might have considered home schooling or moving to another neighborhood. In my area, only illegal aliens had - or still do? - a choice of schools. For the rest of us, we had to follow strict residence rules.
12
posted on
04/24/2008 10:13:43 AM PDT
by
Dante3
To: GSWarrior
I hope Anthony Cataldo gets a really BIG settlement. That’s the only way to wake up a lot of these PC type bureaucrats and make them do their jobs. Hit them in their finances.
13
posted on
04/24/2008 10:16:58 AM PDT
by
Post Toasties
(It's not a smear if it's true.)
To: GSWarrior
It is typical of the schools to protect the bullies and persecute the victims. Thus it is no surprise to me when kids who’ve been victimized by their peers and then victimized again by the school bring a gun to school and kill their tormentors.
14
posted on
04/24/2008 10:17:20 AM PDT
by
PeterFinn
(Charlton Heston & Ronald Reagan - my two favorite Presidents.)
To: GSWarrior
Under the circumstances, Saddler (administrator) said, moving Zachary out of Piedmont Avenue is a conversation she's ready to have. How about removing the perpetrators?
15
posted on
04/24/2008 10:18:19 AM PDT
by
knuthom
To: GSWarrior
This from an Elementary school??? My how things have changed in 35 some odd years.
16
posted on
04/24/2008 10:22:00 AM PDT
by
Lx
((Do you like it, do you like it. Scott? I call it Mr. and Mrs. Tennerman chili.))
To: GSWarrior
What in the HELL was going through the mind of that parent, to leave their child in such an obvious melee?
This is California, where children can put each other in the hospital, but heaven forbid they keep score in a softball game.
To: GSWarrior
To: GSWarrior
I feel for the kid. My boyfriend went to a similar or maybe more violent school (not in America). There were fierce brawls literally every day & after school, the weaker kids ran home to avoid being beaten &/or raped. My boyfriend was in knife fights & chain-swinging fights at that damn school just about every week. Thank G-d he came out of it safe & sound. I hope American schools don't end up like this.
To: GSWarrior
I’d hire a lawyer also...
to get me out of jail for beating the $hit out of some fifth graders and their parents...
20
posted on
04/24/2008 10:32:27 AM PDT
by
gate2wire
(Even when you know, you never know.)
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson