LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - WAVE 3 reviewed Jefferson County Public Schools records from this school year that the school system had to report to state police under the state's bullying law.
"Our principals want safe schools," says Jack Jacobs, Executive Director of Student Assignment, Health and Safety. "We don't want bullying in our schools."
Essentially it's Jacobs job to take care of bullying complaints.
"I do receive a lot of phone calls pertaining to bullying."
Jacobs says that the school system does take bullying seriously.
Through an open records request, WAVE 3 discovered JCPS suspended 110 kids for bullying already this school year for violating some part of its code of acceptable behavior and discipline. That document states:
"The use of lewd, profane, or vulgar language is prohibited. In addition, students shall not engage in such behaviors as hazing, bullying, menacing, taunting, intimidating, verbal or physical abuse of others, or making threats. This policy extends to any/all student language or behavior including, but not limited to, the use of electronic or online methods (otherwise known as cyberbullying). Such behavior is disruptive to the educational process and interferes with the ability of other students to take advantage of the educational opportunities offered.
"These provisions shall not be interpreted to prohibit civil exchange of opinions or debate protected under the state or federal constitutions where the opinion does not otherwise materially or substantially disrupt the education process or intrude upon the rights of others.
"Students who violate this policy shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action."
Student privacy issues make it difficult for us to tell you exactly what happened in all of those 110 cases.
"We investigate the bullying case very thoroughly to make sure we don't accuse someone of bullying who did not harass the other kid," Jacobs said.
We do have a clearer picture of the 53 times this school year that Jefferson County School Security filled out reports for felony assault related offenses, as required under Kentucky's bullying law. That information was also obtained by WAVE 3 through an open records request.
Of them, the majority (36) involved assaults or other threats against JCPS staff.
In other instances, students brought weapons to school and assaulted other students or there were fights that staff members witnessed.
But that doesn't follow the pattern that national expert Ed Dragan says most bullying takes.
"A lot of school principals and teachers don't see what's happening with regard to bullying in school," Dragan said. "It's pretty sneaky."
Only two of the bullying incidents reported to state police from this year were for incidents that mirror what most parents complain of: Students threatening other students without a staff member around.
One where one girl threatened another girl to "get a shank and kill her" and a second where a high schooler threatened to beat another girl to death.
JCPS has a range of punishment for bullying from parent conferences to expulsion for elementary school students and from short-term suspension to expulsion for middle schoolers and high schoolers.
For information from JCPS to parents, click here.
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