Friday, May 3, 2024
Granbury Middle School parents protested outside the middle school Tuesday, Oct. 3 after a bullying incident took place inside a classroom during school hours in September.
Erin Davis’ sixth-grade son was hit twice in the eye and had hand sanitizer put in his eye on Sept. 13, she said in an interview with the HCN.
This led Davis to open an investigation with the Granbury Police Department on Sept. 16. She also filed a grievance packet with the district on Sept. 26 after she claimed GMS did not follow the Granbury Independent School District’s code of conduct.
According to Davis, her son has seen the attacker still in school, which indicates he or she is not at the Behavior Transition Center. BTC is a setting for students who have exhibited either serious or persistent misbehavior on the originating campus.
“We are going to stand out here every day and protest until something is done,” Davis said during the protest.
Davis’ child has been afraid to attend school in fear the attacker is walking the halls.
Davis and other parents stood outside GMS this week with signs in order to draw attention to the incident and to demand the student who attacked her son be placed into BTC. GISD Trustees Karen Lowery and Melanie Graft were in attendance on Oct. 4 to hear the parents’ concerns.
The HCN requested a comment from Graft and Lowery, but Lowery said, “We cannot speak on behalf of the district. We are just here speaking with parents and hearing their concerns.”
Johnny Rose is one of the parents who protested outside the school, where two of his children attend. He also has two students who go to Nettie Baccus Elementary and fears for them to come to GMS.
“It seems the school district and in particular GMS has a reputation of isolating the victim and not the bully,” Rose said.
Maggie Reynolds, who is a friend of Davis, shared, “The school needs to stand with the kids.”
Davis created a “Moms against Bullying” group on Facebook on Sept. 25 and hundreds of parents have joined the group.
According to Davis, many parents have confided in her with stories of bullying across the district and the parents are concerned with GMS’ handling of Davis’ son’s incident.
The group plans to move its protest to the administration building to gain more attention; members also plan to attend the next GISD School Board meeting slated for Oct. 16.
