Patchogue Lawmaker Seeks Former Bully For Teen Task Force

PATCHOGUE, NY — A Patchogue state lawmaker is looking for a local kid to sit on a new panel focused on combating bullying. And preferred candidates will be high-schoolers with experience being picked on as well as being a bully.

Rob Calarco wrote in a Facebook post Wednesday he was looking for someone between 16 and 18 who lives with the 7th Legislative District, which includes Patchogue and surrounding communities. The high-schooler would participate in an 18-member task force that would be required to study the issue and develop a report by May 2020 as to how to curb bullying.

Calarco told Patch on Wednesday the sophomore, junior or senior he seeks would ideally have experience being a bully and being picked on.

"I would love to get a student who has seen it from both sides," he said.

Calarco, who lives in Patchogue, said he's already reached out to schools in the area to find the child, including Patchogue-Medford High School, and he plans to reach out to more in his district. He hopes to make a decision on the child before the start of the school year.

The panel will be tasked with coming up with actionable items the county or district can do to curb and prevent bullying he said.

For Calarco, bullying is an issue that hits close to home. He's heard more and more about bullies in the last couple of years, particularly involving cyberbullying. That includes one child who he said was becoming physically ill from anxiety stemming from bullying inside and outside the classroom.

"It's so impersonal online," he said. "They say the most atrocious things about that individual."