Russell Bass, Minot

When is it OK to bully? We are all taught that bullying is never ok or acceptable and we tell our children that you should never treat anyone differently or be part of the “in” crowd and go along with such behavior. Go to your counselors, your teachers, your principal, walk away from situations, etc.

Evidently, it only applies if the one doing the bullying is not a minority student at Minot Central Campus or Ramsted Middle School. We have been having issues for 3 years where my daughters have gotten to the point to where they are afraid to go to school because nothing has been done about it after numerous incidents have been reported and taken to those who are supposed to make them feel safe and secure.

When a parent enables their child to do such things and confronts the other parent physically by assaulting her in front of them, as well as a so-called security guard who is supposed to write up a report and yet is too cowardly or insecure enough in his own position that he is afraid to do his job due to the dreaded “racist” word is absolutely appalling and everyone who condones should be ashamed and disgraced.

My child, who is constantly told to “tell her teacher”, “talk to her counselor”, “tell the principle”, “walk away”, “remove yourself from the situation”, and all the other evidently jibberish and garbage that we are supposed to tell them; was assaulted in front of her supposed “safe” area today and if I wasn’t there to see it myself and to put a stop to it, would have probably ended up much worse.

Her and her sister were followed down the sidewalk, she was struck twice and had her hair pulled before she finally took a swing to defend herself while her sister tried getting in between to stop it. I took them inside to talk to the principal, yet again, and try to find out why nothing has been done about what has been going on for months at his school and if something was going to be done. He did his due diligence of taking down notes and listening to what was said and suspended my daughter for 3 days for defending herself as well as thanking me for being there to stop it, and explained that he would be “looking into” the situation more and talking to others involved tomorrow.

I have never in my life been so outraged and just dumbstruck as well as disappointed in the way our society here in Minot has become. I am not a native of the area, like a majority of people, I am sure, I have come to North Dakota and ended up in Minot for whatever reason. I have always been under the assumption that a state like this and a town like Minot, with its friendly and very courteous citizens would be nice, more small-townish feel and not have many of these issues that plague the larger, more congested cities and towns of our country.

After realizing that evidently it is going to take more than walking away, telling your teacher, principal, counselor, etc; I am going to handle it myself. I will be writing this letter as a first step, teaching my daughter self defense, try to keep telling her that the entire world is not against her and not to drop out of school or, heaven forbid, don’t do anything stupid to yourself.

So, in my closing, to any parents who might be having to deal with any of this type of behavior, go against all of what you have been told and taught by your parents and do what you feel is necessary to protect your children yourself.