[Mpls] School Yard Bullying

[Jay Clark]

I did not see the channel 5 report, but I did see a nasty case of 
bullying today.

I was driving to a meeting, and drove past the Longfellow school 
playground.  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw five kids chase another 
kid into the corner of the playground.  He fell down, and the other kids 
stomped on him and kicked him.  At least one of the kids was a lot 
bigger than he was.

I jumped out of my car and ran into the playground.  Tears were 
streaming down this kid's face, and he just lay there crumpled on the 
ground.  By the time I got to him a monitor was next to him, and picked 
him up and escorted him into the building.  She did not see the 
incident, but did not ask me to identify the other boys who had chased him.

I found it very hard to intervene in this situation.  I see this motion 
out of the corner of my eye, and I cannot tell if they are 
play-roughhousing or if they mean business.  I really did not conclude 
for sure that this kid was being hurt until the other kids  ran away and 
the kid remained lying on the ground.

And picture how ridiculous or even threatening it would have seemed if 
the kids were simply play-fighting, and suddenly this stranger jumps out 
of his car and starts yelling to stop it, or even runs onto the playground.

And while I was staring at the playground and trying to figure out what 
was going on, other cars were waiting for me to go and I was tying up 
traffic.  I have no idea if the other cars saw what I saw, and none stopped.

I made myself try to help, but I can understand why some people might 
choose not to get involved and just keep going.

I do not know how frequent this type of behavior happens, but I know a 
number of parents who refuse to send their kids to public schools 
because they believe the Minneapolis public schools  are too violent and 
dangerous.

No child should have to fear this type of mob attack during recess.

Jay Clark
Cooper