Re: question regarding students injured from bullying at school

[Guest guest]

Minga –

I understand the frustration you felt when interviewing your young patient. Middle school students are a challenge, especially with their social interactions. Virtually all of the high schools, and most of the middle schools in Metro Portland area have School Resource Officers (SRO). These are Police Officers from the respective agencies that are assigned to particular schools and having specific training in dealing with the student population. Some officers may have several schools assigned to them, especially with middle schools.

The SRO is responsible for potential criminal activity that occurs on “their†campuses. The scenario you describe is the perfect example. The SRO usually has a good relationships with the students and faculty, and frequently knows who the bullies are. They are also knowledgeable about who within the school administration should be notified and how best to resolve the matter, whether it be counseling, advisement, or juvenile proceedings.

While the school year is essentially over, the SRO would still be your best contact. I would suggest you call the school to determine who their SRO is, or equally valid, call the respective police agency for the city in which the school is located and report the matter via the School Resource Officer.

By do so you would be complying with any issue on mandatory reporting, you would directing your concern to the person in the best position to know how the matter should be handled, and you will have set in motion a process that will hopefully address the specific problem.

Since they are questions as to ultimate responsibility for the cost of medical services, you should be billing the parents’ directly or through there health insurance. It is not your responsibility to determine the payment source. In this case the ultimate source is very muddy and it may take legal action to sort it out. That should not be your concern. It appears as if you are taking the important steps in addressing the patient’s injuries and doing your best to comply with reporting requirements. Let the School Resource Officer address the balance of the issues.

Tom Freedland, D.C.

question regarding students injured from bullying at school during s

Posted by: "AboWoman@..." AboWoman@...

Wed Jun 13, 2012 12:06 pm (PDT)

Hi All,Have any of you ever treated a patient who's been bullied? In this case it's a middle school student (12 yr old male) who was injured at school during school hours in a bullying incident. The student was hurrying to class across a gym floor when a larger, older student (commonly known as a bully) came up from behind and pushed the smaller, younger student hard enough to knock him to his knees. The bully yelled, "NO Running!" and laughed as the patient fell.The 12 yr old skidded across the gym floor on his knees taking most of the skin off one knee and hurting his entire spine. The student states he couldn't get up for a few moments after the incident. He began shaking/trembling and his legs felt so weak he had to roll onto his side and lay there. ANother kid had an ipod and videoed the scene immed after the episode. Unfortunately not capturing the push and fall. The boy was afraid to go to teachers. He'd reported daily bullying to them and had experienced worse bullying. The teachers simply told the kids who pushed him into lockers daily, (kind of a sucker punch into the back, unanticipated, knocking him into lockers every day) "Knock it off." however, this prompted the bullys to escalate their punishment.When I called the school to get information on insurance coverage, the principal told me her explanation was that the kids were 'joking around'. She said the kid who was injured needed to learn to advocate for himself better and come forward to authorities if he wanted help with the bullying. I asked the principal for an incident report and she said she'd have to get me one. It was her last day today. SHe was off for the summer. And she's an interium principal. She also said "he never even came to the office and reported it to me when it happened." When I questioned her further, she admitted it was the end of the school day and the boy did go home and tell his parents, who immediately called her. Still, she said, "If he expects help, he needs to learn to advocate for himself." She made this statement at least 3 times. I finally told her that it seemed normal for young kids to go to their parents when they're afraid to come to teachers or administration when they've been bullied without assistance in the past. Any advice from anyone on the list would help. The principal refused to give me anyinsurnce info cause she said, 'It wouldn't cover it." I finally got her to give me a business person's name and number. Minga Guerrero DCabowomanaol

[Guest guest]

Dr. Freedland,

thanks for a very thoughtful answer. I hadn't thought of the SRO. I'll pass this info along to the parents as well.

Minga Guerrero DC

abowoman@...

Re: question regarding students injured from bullying at school

Minga –

I understand the frustration you felt when interviewing your young patient. Middle school students are a challenge, especially with their social interactions. Virtually all of the high schools, and most of the middle schools in Metro Portland area have School Resource Officers (SRO). These are Police Officers from the respective agencies that are assigned to particular schools and having specific training in dealing with the student population. Some officers may have several schools assigned to them, especially with middle schools.

The SRO is responsible for potential criminal activity that occurs on “their†campuses. The scenario you describe is the perfect example. The SRO usually has a good relationships with the students and faculty, and frequently knows who the bullies are. They are also knowledgeable about who within the school administration should be notified and how best to resolve the matter, whether it be counseling, advisement, or juvenile proceedings.

While the school year is essentially over, the SRO would still be your best contact. I would suggest you call the school to determine who their SRO is, or equally valid, call the respective police agency for the city in which the school is located and report the matter via the School Resource Officer.

By do so you would be complying with any issue on mandatory reporting, you would directing your concern to the person in the best position to know how the matter should be handled, and you will have set in motion a process that will hopefully address the specific problem.

Since they are questions as to ultimate responsibility for the cost of medical services, you should be billing the parents’ directly or through there health insurance. It is not your responsibility to determine the payment source. In this case the ultimate source is very muddy and it may take legal action to sort it out. That should not be your concern. It appears as if you are taking the important steps in addressing the patient’s injuries and doing your best to comply with reporting requirements. Let the School Resource Officer address the balance of the issues.

Tom Freedland, D.C.

question regarding students injured from bullying at school during s

Posted by: "AboWoman@..." AboWoman@...

Wed Jun 13, 2012 12:06 pm (PDT)

Hi All,

Have any of you ever treated a patient who's been bullied? In this case it's a middle school student (12 yr old male) who was injured at school during school hours in a bullying incident. The student was hurrying to class across a gym floor when a larger, older student (commonly known as a bully) came up from behind and pushed the smaller, younger student hard enough to knock him to his knees. The bully yelled, "NO Running!" and laughed as the patient fell.The 12 yr old skidded across the gym floor on his knees taking most of the skin off one knee and hurting his entire spine. The student states he couldn't get up for a few moments after the incident. He began shaking/trembling and his legs felt so weak he had to roll onto his side and lay there. ANother kid had an ipod and videoed the scene immed after the episode. Unfortunately not capturing the push and fall. The boy was afraid to go to teachers. He'd reported daily bullying to them and had experienced worse bullying. The teachers simply told the kids who pushed him into lockers daily, (kind of a sucker punch into the back, unanticipated, knocking him into lockers every day) "Knock it off." however, this prompted the bullys to escalate their punishment.

When I called the school to get information on insurance coverage, the principal told me her explanation was that the kids were 'joking around'. She said the kid who was injured needed to learn to advocate for himself better and come forward to authorities if he wanted help with the bullying. I asked the principal for an incident report and she said she'd have to get me one. It was her last day today. SHe was off for the summer. And she's an interium principal. She also said "he never even came to the office and reported it to me when it happened." When I questioned her further, she admitted it was the end of the school day and the boy did go home and tell his parents, who immediately called her. Still, she said, "If he expects help, he needs to learn to advocate for himself." She made this statement at least 3 times. I finally told her that it seemed normal for young kids to go to their parents when they're afraid to come to teachers or administration when they've been bullied without assistance in the past.

Any advice from anyone on the list would help. The principal refused to give me anyinsurnce info cause she said, 'It wouldn't cover it." I finally got her to give me a business person's name and number.

Minga Guerrero DC

abowomanaol