ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — An Orange County middle school teacher said bullying is getting out of hand, but he feels he can’t do anything to stop the problem.
9 Investigates first uncovered bullying allegations that nearly drove two students to commit suicide at two Orange County middle schools last week.
The teacher, who asked not to be identified, said he fears for the safety of his students.
He said the 9 investigates reports got a lot of teachers at Orange County schools talking about bullying and he wants to speak out about the issues because he’s afraid what might happen if he doesn’t.
A mother, who also asked not to be identified, broke down in tears last week, when she described how her daughter got so sick of bullying, the teenager tried to overdose on pills at Maitland Middle School.
Another woman talked about how her son wanted to commit suicide because of bullying at Robinswood Middle School.
A teacher at the school saw the reports and wanted to take action.
“I’m afraid that I’m going to lose my job by even talking to you about this,” said the teacher.
He said bullying at Robinswood Middle School is out of control and he said he sees it nearly every day in his classroom.
“Homophobic slurs, to race-based slurs to fights in the classroom,” he said.
He said when he tried to stop bullies, he doesn’t get anywhere.
“I don’t have any teeth in my own classroom," the teacher said.
He said the school isn’t clear with how teachers should handle bullying, and said the students know he has little power.
He’s worried some of his students feel like they have no way out.
“One day, I’m just worried they’re not going to come to school one day, and a day or two later we’ll find out that they’re not coming back because they’re not here anymore,” he said.
Orange County Public Schools sent Channel 9 a statement on its bullying policy.
It said, in part, “The parents of the accused and the victim are contacted. The school administration gets staff and students to write statements on anything they witnessed
Cox Media Group
