The Menace Of Bullying: What New Lenox Parents Are Saying

NEW LENOX, IL — An informal survey of Patch readers in New Lenox whose children attend schools in District 122 and Lincoln-Way District 210 included personal details of bullying incidents among their children. 80 percent of New Lenox parents who responded said their child often or sometimes has experienced bullying or cyberbullying.

When asked about the district's bullying discipline policies, responses from parents varied. One Lincoln-Way Central parent said policies were "good, but could be better," and another District 122 parent said policies were "good, in theory."

"It's not enough," another parent said.

"They need to respond faster and punish the bullies immediately," one New Lenox parent said.

When asked what impact they think bullying has had on students in their child's district, these New Lenox parents didn't hold back with their responses. Parents mentioned suicidal thoughts, not feeling safe at school, anxiety, depression, low confidence, and self-esteem issues.

"A huge negative impact," one parent wrote about the impact of bullying.

"It has impacted a lot of kids where they just deal with it because nobody does anything about it, and then it messes them up mentally," one Lincoln-Way D210 parent wrote.

"My [child] never felt safe going to school and dreaded it each day," another Lincoln-Way parent wrote.

When asked about the kind of bullying prevention they've seen in their child's school district, parents did write that the schools have discussion in classes, SADD club, rallies, campaigns and assemblies.

One parent said the district should also "have teachers call out these students more often. If they have a consequence, they might think twice."

Another New Lenox parent also said there should be "stringent ramifications to the tormentor."

One Lincoln-Way West parent said there has been a problem for years with bullying.

"[Policies] are not enforced," the parent said.

The regional parent survey, timed to coincide with National Bullying Prevention Month in October, was posted on dozens of Patch sites in Illinois and in the Midwest. The survey is not scientific, but could be considered a broad indicator of parents' feelings about the seriousness of bullying in their schools and communities.

Bullying: How District 122 Tackles The Issue

Bullying: How Lincoln-Way D210 Tackles The Issue

As of Oct. 22, more than 460 parents responded to this regional Patch survey. The key findings were:

• Nearly 71 percent of parents said their children had been bullied at least once, and nearly 65 percent had been bullied this school year.
• 36.3 percent of parents said their child has witnessed bullying often at school.
• 48.5 percent of parents said if their child is bullied, it is two or more students bullying them.

These informal findings should be compared to statistics compiled in more scientific surveys, which note that:

• Bullying affects 1 in 3 U.S. schoolchildren (NoBully.org)
• 59 percent of U.S. students experience cyberbullying (Pew Research Center)
• 160,000 kids stay home from school every day to avoid bullies, National Association of School Psychologists

The Menace Of Bullies: Patch Advocacy Reporting Project

As part of a national reporting project, Patch has been looking at society's roles and responsibilities in bullying and a child's unthinkable decision to end their own life in hopes we might offer solutions that save lives.

Do you have a story to tell? Are you concerned about how your local schools handle bullies and their victims?

Email us at bullies@patch.com and share your views in the comments.

Selected Stories From The Project

• Bullied To Death: When Kids Kill With Words
• I Could Have Been Mallory Grossman
• Bullied Over Homemade T-Shirt, Kid Inspires University Of Tennessee Design
• Howell Teen Runs To Save Lives, Change Statistics On Suicide
• America's Shameful Truth About School Shooters And Bullying
• Cyberbullying Most Often Affects Girls; These Women Are Trying To Stop It
• Bullying Kids: Straighten Up, Or Your Parents May Have To Pay Up
• Teen Who Killed Himself Wasn't 'Worthless,' Family Tells Bullies
• Menace Of Bullies: Why This Woman Resigned Her 6-Figure Job
• Survivor Of Bullying And Suicide Writes Frankly About Both
• 'I Will Be Your Friend': First-Grader's Shirt Fights Bullies
• Girl-To-Girl Bullying: Why It's Different, Difficult To Confront
• What Prompts Bullying In This Ohio School
• Cyberbullying In This Michigan City Carries $500 Fine, 3 Months In Jail
• Bully Upstander: Whatever He Said Caused Bullies To Back Down
• Bullying Caused 11-Year-Old To Attempt Suicide, Mother Says
• Bullied 10-Year-Old's Suicide 8th In School District This Year
• The Menace Of Bullies: Most U.S. States Take On Cyberbullying
• Cyberbullying Is Now Against The Law In Michigan
• Shooting Incident Linked To Bullying At School, Mom Says
• Girls More Likely Than Boys To See Bullying As Harmful: Study
• 13-Year-Old Hangs Herself, But Bullying Killed Her
• Teen Tells Bullies In Video: 'Every Day, I Wear Your Words'
• 'The Hero Myth': Why Expecting Kids To Fight Bullies Is Harmful
• 'Mr. Anti-Bully': Reformed Bully, 12, Sets Mistake Right
• Mallory Grossman Bullying Detailed In Wrongful Death Suit
• Malden Schools Were Non-Compliant Through Bullying Saga: DOE
• 'They All Failed And Changed A Child': Malden Bullying Detailed
• Mom Speaks About Bullying Heartbreak: 'I Feel I Failed Him'
• Why These Kindergartners Start Each Day With A Handshake
• The Bully Menace: 'The Hurt Never Goes Away'
• Bullies And Their Targets The Same: Digital Self-Harm Rising
• Williamsburg Poetry Teacher Helps Bullied Kids Open Tortured Minds
• Bullying Tougher To Confront When It's Bias-Based: Researchers
• The Bully Menace: 13 Age-Appropriate Reads
• Teen's 'I Wear Your Words' Video Inspires Nashville Songwriters