Letters to the editor: Accidental death and bullying

Letters to the editor

Reflecting on an 18-year-old’s death

To the residents and County Supervisors of Chickasaw County, I am no longer a young man. When I look back to that time I was no different than any other. Always looking for the next experience to claim that I had become an adult. To be able to say: been there, done that.

I guess it takes the experience of an older gentleman coming up to me and asking for directions to a campground. I am thinking he is planning on a camping weekend. No, he tells me that he is looking for the place in Chickasaw County that his grandson died last night.

lt takes looking back at stories of youngsters diving off the 70-foot cliff to hit the extreme cold water. Either because they wanted to, were thrown in or slipped. Stories of broken bones, being knocked out and dragged to the shore and brought back with laughter. lt’s an experience that tells me during one of the decades in my life I somewhere and somehow became an adult.

I don’t know the facts of this sad story in Chickasaw County park where an 18-year-old will not have the chance to see all the decades I have. I do know he will never have the experience that I had of speaking to an elderly gentleman that seemed to be unsteady on his feet, either from age or stress.

Trying to tell a stranger how he was told they could not find his grandson in a park in Chickasaw County while staring at his wife through the windshield of his car …

Can you imagine the conversations they have had since being told the news?

Can you imagine the conversations that other family and friends have had?

Are the adults in Chickasaw County suppose to be responsible to try and protect as best they can? Is there some way the location can be improved? Eliminated?

Is death when the word responsibility turns to liability?

Leonard Sinnwell Nashua

Bullying exists at Lincoln Elementary

Our story began when our grandson was in 3rd grade. He was bullied that year by a fellow classmate. This was repeatedly reported to the teachers/principal without any lessening of the bullying occurring. Why was this?

The story continues during 4th grade by the same bully. Most recently this last Monday when said bully punched our boy in the face. Our boy ran, and the bully gave chase. We were unaware of this until a “yellow letter” was received by the parent of our boy citing our boy for inappropriate language, refusing to return to line, refusing to return to class. The parent filed a bullying report (which was only found after many searches and apparently many parents are unaware exists. This form can be found at www.charlescityschools.org in upper right corner). The parents, myself and our boy met with the principal today. We found out that no teacher asked why he was refusing to do above. Why was this?

Either way, our boy stated to principal that he has no trust in the school administration to help him from being bullied, since it has continued for so long. He stated he refused to return to line as he would be next to the bully, and he refused to return to class as the bully sits directly behind him. We believe the yellow letter should be completely removed from any files. Our boy has the right to protect himself from further bullying.

The principal did not seem to want to remove, and it is our understanding it remains.

We asked that our boy no longer have to sit near the bully, and that was OK’d. What all this comes down to is why is bullying continuing to our boy and many others? The trust between teacher and student has been broken.

We also stated that during our various trips past the school during recess, we noted that the teachers assigned to oversee recess were standing next to the building just talking to each other. Not observing or walking among students to possibly prevent such occurrences. This is a failure on the teachers and principals part for not performing their duty to keep our children safe.

We’ve found since reaching out through Facebook, that many other students are/have been bullied with no apparent punishment. So with all that what do we do to protect our children since the school is failing to? We suggested a possible parent/ family involvement in overseeing at the school before, during recess, and after school. Any suggestions from the community would be appreciated.

With deep sadness, Dana Sherman, Charles City