Lew-Port parents want to work with district on addressing bullying
After several anonymous online posts were made claiming the Lewiston-Porter Central School District does not properly address bullying, residents are taking action.
Colleen Summerville, a Youngstown resident who is a retired mental health counselor from SUNY Niagara, has five children who graduated from Lew-Port and now has a grandchild in the district. She took charge of organizing parents' complaints with Jennifer Weibert of Lewiston, with at least 20 parents reaching out so far.
'When we get together, the purpose is to work together with the district, administrators, and the Board of Education, resolving any concerns about bullying,' Summerville said, emphasizing they want their meetings to be cordial and without slander.
Some of these parents spoke about the issue at the Board of Education's April 28 meeting, while a former board member reportedly said there was no such problem.
The anonymous Facebook posts that started in April, including some claiming to be students, bring up cyberbullying and students telling others to kill themselves.
District officials said they took swift action to address the issue.
Superintendent Paul Casseri said they are aware of Facebook posts and students involved with bullying have faced disciplinary consequences, with the district having a zero-tolerance policy for bullying at any of its buildings.
'We sincerely hope that anyone experiencing or witnessing bullying will come forward so we can provide support and take appropriate action,' Casseri said in an email to one of the concerned parents. 'Only when we are made aware of a situation can we take steps to address it.'
Lewiston-Porter already has several programs in place in the primary and intermediate education centers meant to help students learn leadership skills and navigate any emotional and social issues they may have. Last November, the IEC was named a Leader in Me Lighthouse School by FranklinCovey Education for its success in imparting leadership skills on the school's third- through fifth-graders.
There is also an anonymous tipline on the district website where any student or community member can voice concerns.
These parents plan to be at the school board's May 12 which will also feature budget presentations and this year's school board candidates. There will be a community meeting at Youngstown Presbyterian Church at 7 p.m. on Tuesday for discussions on an action plan.
The plan they come up with will be presented at the school board's May 27 meeting.
Any concerned parents can reach out to Summerville at 716-531-6701.
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