BALTIMORE COUNTY — It's only the start of the semester, but bullying and violence has been a major problem in Baltimore County Public Schools. Many parents are fearful for their children’s well-being and are calling on BCPS to hold bullies accountable.
Just one month into the school year, students have already witnessed multiple fights. About two weeks ago, a video went viral where a Perry Hall High School student tried to use a bat to fight off other students who were seen jumping her.
Unfortunately, the violent trend continues. Neighbors who live by Perry Hall High School say another fight happened last Thursday where one person was taken to the hospital.
"Kids are not held accountable and people run wild; the kids run wild," said Garry Guio, a Baltimore County resident.
Garry Guio has lived near Perry Hall High School for years. He’s seen many incidents and expressed to us how nothing has changed.
"They got fights down here all the time and it's out of control and nobody's doing anything to stop it," said Guio. "If they just suspend these kids that are causing a problem and get them out of the school, that will send a message to the other people that want to make trouble because there's a lot of students that just want to learn."
The latest fight at the school left many parents feeling anxious to send their children back to the classroom. One mother, who wanted to remain anonymous, had four children attend Perry Hall High School. She says they all witnessed and experienced some form of bullying.
One of her sons even had suicidal thoughts because of it, and now her daughter, who is a junior at the high school, experiences the same harassment.
"I just want them to start holding the students that are doing the bullying, I want them to be held accountable. First, before it escalates to something more violent. If they can get a cap on that I think it can be a really big change," said the mother.
BCPS sent this statement to WMAR 2-news:
"Any behavior that creates a hostile school environment, disrupts learning and school activities, or negatively interferes with a student's academic, psychological, social or physical well-being will not be tolerated. This summer we shared expectations for behavior in schools and on buses with Team BCPS. Schools reviewed these expectations with all students and families signed off to confirm understanding. This fall we shared safety enhancements regarding athletics. To be clear, violence and the use of weapons or other dangerous items on campus is unacceptable. Students who violate these rules are subject to serious legal consequences. Any student who endangers the safety of others by acting in a manner that is not representative of school system values receives serious consequences aligned with the BCPS Student Handbook (see Code of Conduct) and state regulations. Student privacy laws prohibit the sharing of specific details about student consequences, but the community should be assured that students are held accountable. We encourage students, parents and members of the community to promptly report incidents of bullying and harassment to school administration and our schools will take swift action to address and correct such behaviors.”
The school system will also have a virtual town hall on October 13, 2022, where they will discuss their efforts to ensure student and staff safety.
