Oakland: When school bullies get out of hand

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 4/23/08 | Nanette Asimov

[GSWarrior]

Anthony Cataldo of Oakland first raised concerns about aggressive bullying at his son's elementary school last year after Zachary lost four teeth on the playground - but he said he received only a verbal assurance that things would change.

Cataldo said he complained again when some boys at school kicked 7-year-old Zachary in the stomach three months ago but got no response.

Now - two days after an older student slammed Zachary against a tree, fracturing his skull and sending the first-grader to intensive care - Cataldo is hiring a lawyer, and school officials are paying attention.

[GSWarrior]

From the linked article:

State records show that Piedmont Avenue Elementary is Oakland's second-most-violent elementary school, recording 97 suspensions last year for violence - including nine involving a weapon.

[Slapshot68]

Charge the parents.

[Eurale]

Sickening.

[Puppage]

recording 97 suspensions last year for violence - including nine involving a weapon

Perhaps they can define weapon? That's a pretty broad brush.

In any event, that school sounds like a nightmare.

[SF Republican]

that school sounds like a nightmare - That city

[Sopater]

Cataldo is hiring a lawyer, and school officials are paying attention.

That's why they pay attention to the ACLU, too.

[LongElegantLegs]

His father said that in kindergarten last year, Zachary was on the playground when some fifth-graders who had been sent out of class for disciplinary reasons approached him and lifted him up.

"One was spinning Zachary around," Cataldo said. Then he let go.

Zachary lost four teeth. I can't believe he left his child at that school after this; He's lucky he didn't get his neck broken.

[Tax-chick]

Saddler confirmed that elementary students across the district are often unsupervised unless they are enrolled in before- or after-school programs.

"We don't have the finances to cover parents before the hours that school starts," Saddler said. "And after school, we do not have supervision for students who are not enrolled in after-school programs. We are very, very clear with parents that they need to make arrangements for their children."

This sounds like an entrepreneurial opportunity for homeschooled boys with martial arts training or football experience: Before- and after- school bodyguard to kindergarteners.

[Puppage]

that school sounds like a nightmare - That city

I stand corrected. That city, indeed!

[Sopater]

Piedmont Avenue Elementary is Oakland's second-most-violent elementary school, recording 97 suspensions last year for violence

Does that mean that roughly 97 other students had to wind up in an ICU first?

[Dante3]

After the second incident, Cataldo might have considered home schooling or moving to another neighborhood. In my area, only illegal aliens had - or still do? - a choice of schools. For the rest of us, we had to follow strict residence rules.

[Post Toasties]

I hope Anthony Cataldo gets a really BIG settlement. That’s the only way to wake up a lot of these PC type bureaucrats and make them do their jobs. Hit them in their finances.

[PeterFinn]

It is typical of the schools to protect the bullies and persecute the victims. Thus it is no surprise to me when kids who’ve been victimized by their peers and then victimized again by the school bring a gun to school and kill their tormentors.

[knuthom]

Under the circumstances, Saddler (administrator) said, moving Zachary out of Piedmont Avenue is a conversation she's ready to have.

How about removing the perpetrators?

[Lx]

This from an Elementary school??? My how things have changed in 35 some odd years.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

What in the HELL was going through the mind of that parent, to leave their child in such an obvious melee?

This is California, where children can put each other in the hospital, but heaven forbid they keep score in a softball game.

[heartwood]

http://www.schooldigger.com/go/CA/schools/2805004308/school.aspx

[forkinsocket]

I feel for the kid. My boyfriend went to a similar or maybe more violent school (not in America). There were fierce brawls literally every day & after school, the weaker kids ran home to avoid being beaten &/or raped. My boyfriend was in knife fights & chain-swinging fights at that damn school just about every week. Thank G-d he came out of it safe & sound. I hope American schools don't end up like this.

[gate2wire]

I’d hire a lawyer also...
to get me out of jail for beating the $hit out of some fifth graders and their parents...

[marron]

Something similar happened to us, and in response we pulled our grandkids out of public school about 5 years ago, and never looked back.

It has been so much better, like night and day, that I regret not doing it sooner. What were we waiting for? When all the signs are there from almost the first, why ever would anyone trust these people with their kids for even an hour?

The result has been kids who are so much better adjusted, so much more at ease with themselves, with adults, with other kids. Academically they’re fine, but the real difference is in the kind of atmosphere they live in eight hours a day. As I say, I kick myself for not doing it years sooner.

Its expensive, especially if you have several kids, which is why more parents don’t do it. Which is why grandparents may have to help out. Its worth it.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

“Moments later, Zachary’s after-school caregiver, Arhonda Morris, drove up and saw him. She also saw an older boy running for a bus, said Cataldo, a single father who works as a receiver for Safeway in Oakland.”
Single parent. Not a great job, and has to pay an after school caregiver. Tough situation, and no ability to home school.

[Nachum]

I feel for the kid. My boyfriend went to a similar or maybe more violent school (not in America).

Which country was that?

[forkinsocket]

Bahrayn.

[Bikkuri]

“This from an Elementary school??? My how things have changed in 35 some odd years.”

---

That’s more or less what I said in another post...

[MrB]

This may be unbiblical,

but I think a lot of this crap WOULD stop if the parents were charged with “contributing” or even of an actual assault charge when their dependents perpetrate violence.

And if the parents don’t want to take that responsibility, there’s always “juvi” hall.

[MrB]

“I can’t believe he left his child at that school after this; He’s lucky he didn’t get his neck broken.”

The parents probably have been “trained” (by liberals) that there’s no alternative.

[MrB]

oh, I’m sure the perps “have a right to a public education”.

[Resolute Conservative]

You and me both!

[GSWarrior]

8% caucasion....hmmmm, nothing to see here, move along.

[Riverman94610]

And this particular school is not”ghetto”.Its just blocks away from million dollar houses and on chic Piedmont Avenue,where all the latte liberals go.

[informavoracious]

Little Zachy should have come out of the closet. The Cali libs, NEA, and ACLU would’ve made sure he had a safe environment.

[Riverman94610]

Eight percent white?That is a shock since the surrounding area is about as white as Oakland can get.

[GSWarrior]

From the link above:

Am. Indian/Alaska Native: 0 ( 0 %)

Asian/Pacific Islander: 28 ( 8 %)

Hispanic: 39 ( 11 %)

African American: 246 ( 71 %)

White: 29 ( 8 %)

Unspecified: 3 ( 1 %)

[skully]

They should handle this like in the good old days. When I was like 5, I was bullied by a kid who was like 10-12. My father spoke to this kids father once about it. The bullying didn't stop, so my old man “bullied” the kid's old man. I was never bothered by this kid again. I still remember this kid coming on the bus with a black eye the next day. We figured his old man gave it to him. Probably why the kid was the way he was in the first place.

[Riverman94610]

Those are amazing stats.The black kids must be bussed in then.

[catman67]

Yeah, except that the bureaucrats don’t care, they just pass the costs on to the taxpayers and keep whining about underfunded schools!!

[Fundamentally Fair]

She said that an investigation of the incident that sent Zachary to Children's Hospital is under way and that no student will be punished until the facts have been gathered.

But get caught with an aspirin and you are GONE!

[Fundamentally Fair]

Suspicion confirmed.

[arthurus]

Public school.

[kevinw]

When school bullies get out of hand, whip them.