Parents fed up with bullying problem in Glenpool Schools

Some Glenpool School parents say a case of bullying went too far when several kids recently beat up a young boy and girl in a city park. <br><br>Those parents want the school and police to do more to

Wednesday, September 17th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Some Glenpool School parents say a case of bullying went too far when several kids recently beat up a young boy and girl in a city park.

Those parents want the school and police to do more to stop the violence before it gets out of hand. News on 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright investigates.

Brennan Dean still has the glue stitches on his face where his tooth went through his cheek when some kids jumped him and nearly beat him unconscious. His girlfriend got bruises on her legs and a fat lip after she jumped in and help and they turned on her.

The parents say this is part of a pattern of a group of five boys picking on and bullying other kids. Roxanna Colker, concerned parent: "As parents, we are going to band together and make something happen." Mitchell Stringer, concerned parent: "We moved to Glenpool because it's quiet and if we can't even allow our kids to walk in the daylight, that's a shame."

The fight happened Friday night around 11:30 PM in a Glenpool city park. The school says it can't suspend the accused boys or kick them off the football team because it didn't happen at a school event.

Nicole Johnson, concerned parent: "We understand they can't suspend them cause not on school grounds but we want them held responsible for what they did."

The principal says he, the football coach and the school's resource officer had a serious talk first thing Monday morning. Officer Bart Harris, School Resource Officer: "All parties involved were brought in and told this will not be tolerated at school or they'd face serious consequences."

The parents of the two kids assaulted filed a police report, but say nothing's happened. The detective says it will take time with 30 witnesses and five suspects, all juveniles who must be interviewed with their parents present. Detective Dennis Waller, Glenpool Police: "Our kids are our main concern. This is an ongoing investigation and we have to take our time and talk to all the people involved and make sure it's handled properly."

Parents feel like the school isn't doing enough to stop bullying in the schools before it spills out to something this severe. Theyâ€™re afraid if it's not stopped now, it'll become something really terrible.

The school says it deals with every report of a kid being harassed or picked on; the problem is kids often don't report it. It's the old worry of not wanting to be seen as a snitch, but these days, better to be a snitch, than to get beat up or shot.