Parents call for stronger action against bullying in Clinton County school district
Editor’s note: If you or someone you know is in crisis, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME (English) or AYUDA (Spanish) to 741741.
Parents, students and community members in Trenton and New Baden are calling on Wesclin Community Unit School District 3 to take stronger action against bullying.
“All we’re asking you to do is to protect the kids in this school, and so far you guys have not been able to do that,” Gary Bunker, the grandfather of a student in the district, said at a Board of Education meeting on Monday.
Bunker was among more than 100 people who attended the board meeting, which was moved to the cafeteria.
The board voted to approve two things related to bullying: the purchase and installation of bus cameras, which will begin as the cameras become available, and the purchase and implementation of Anonymous Alerts, an anti-bullying and safety reporting app, which the district will set up and provide training on to go live Feb. 1.
Superintendent Jennifer Filyaw also gave a presentation about the district’s bullying policies and procedures and what changes the district will make to combat bullying and improve the social-emotional climate, especially at Wesclin High and Middle schools.
The public comment period of the meeting lasted nearly an hour, with many people voicing concerns about bullying in the schools and its mental and physical toll on students. They implored the board and administration to do more to address the problem, with several parents referencing the recent passing of a student whose obituary says the student’s life was cut short by bullying as well as a recent bullying incident on a bus in which a student was assaulted.
“The only thing we’re concerned with right now is the safety of our kids and grandkids here,” Bunker said.
People spoke about their experiences with bullying in the district and how they felt their situations were swept under the rug, which one parent said led them to pull their child from the district altogether. The parent said others have done the same.
They also stressed the importance of kids having someone to talk to at school who will listen and make them feel like they matter.
A few said that if more action isn’t taken, the community will replace the board and members of administration.
Prior to the public comments, Filyaw gave a presentation on bullying and what the district plans to do to address it more.
In addition to installing bus cameras and implementing the use of the Anonymous Alerts app, the district will be implementing “Wellness Wednesdays” starting in January at the high school that will incorporate a social-emotional curriculum (The elementary and middle schools already have a social-emotional curriculum).
The district is also adding bullying-specific education for all grades, including how to respond and report it, hosting a speaker in the spring for students and families and adding signage in the schools to emphasize expected behavior and how to report bullying.
Filyaw said the district is also looking into additional training for staff to make sure they know how to identify and address bullying and related social-emotional concerns. Administration will receive training on how to investigate bullying and follow up after the investigation concludes.
She said the district needs to update its procedures for promptly reporting bullying, including providing an email and phone number for doing so.
Finally, the district will conduct a survey for fourth through twelfth grade students to collect data related to social acceptance, mental health, school connectedness and bullying.
Bullying prevention and crisis resources
The Illinois State Board of Education’s web page on bullying prevention outlines the relevant statutes in the Illinois School Code and provides information and resources, including a document on what parents should do if their children are the targets of bullying.
In June 2023, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law an amendment to the school code that, among other things, expanded the definition of bullying and required schools to notify parents if their student is bullied or bullying within 24 hours.
StopBullying.gov provides information from government agencies on what bullying and cyberbullying are, who is at risk of being bullied and bullying, and what parents and school staff can do to prevent and respond to bullying.
The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a free, confidential hotline available 24/7 and in English and Spanish. It provides support and resources to individuals in suicidal crisis or emotional distress or those looking to help someone else. Call or text 988 to speak with a trained listener.
The lifeline’s website also has stories of hope and recovery.
The Crisis Text Line is a texting service that’s also free, confidential and available 24/7 and in English and Spanish providing emotional crisis support. Text HOME (English) or AYUDA (Spanish) to 741741 to reach a trained crisis counselor.
