Bullying Caught On Tape Underscores Larger Issue

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Bullying Caught On Tape Underscores Larger Issue

Video Shows Student With Asperger Syndrome Bullied Into Corner

UPDATED: 11:21 am EST March 3, 2011

BALTIMORE -- Bullying is a problem in school systems across the country, and

land is no exception.

During the 2008-09 academic year, state education reporting data indicates 1,686

reported incidents of bullying, intimidation or harassment. That figure

represents a statewide increase of 392 reported incidents from the 2007-08

academic year and an increase of 216 from the 2006-07 academic year.

A recent incident of bullying was caught on video that was posted online. The

video depicts a 13-year-old boy in a corner overwhelmed by classmates teasing

him.

The video remains painful for Clayton to watch. The boy is Clayton's son,

Ismael, who has Asperger syndrome, a form of autism.

" He seems weird to the other children, " Clayton said. " They don't know how to

relate to him. "

The video, recorded and posted online by a fellow eighth-grade student at

Windsor Mill Middle School in Baltimore County, shows Ismael retreating to a

corner of the room, eventually making a heartfelt plea to his tormentors.

Ismael is heard in the video saying, " How would you feel if you were teased and

bullied? ... I feel that way. I feel sad and miserable because people are

bothering me all my life ever since preschool. Why do you guys have to be so

mean to me? "

" When I looked at it, I completely went numb, " Clayton said.

Along with recovering from a work-related head injury, Clayton continues to

fight for his son, who he said has been bullied in school for years.

" It was extremely stressful for him day to day, constantly coming home upset

that the kids are picking on him, complaining that the students pushed him into

a locker, slammed his head in, " Clayton said.

" It's kind of like torture, " Ismael said. " They kind of tease me and start

calling me names. "

Ismael is a special education student who attends a regular eighth-grade class

with the help of an aide. Clayton said the aide was absent on the day the video

was recorded, and the teacher was a substitute.

" Some days, I think, 'What did I do to them for them to start bullying on me?' "

Ismael said.

Windsor Mill Middle School administrators declined requests from the WBAL-TV 11

News I-Team for comment. The Baltimore County Public Schools district was not

responsive to the I-Team's numerous requests for comment about the video.

" It was extremely stressful for him day to day, constantly coming home upset

that the kids are picking on him, complaining that the students pushed him into

a locker, slammed his head in. "

- Clayton

WBAL-TV 11 News I-Team reporter Mindy Basara sought insight from a state expert

on bullying, Chuck Buckler, who is the executive director of the Division of

Student, Family and School Support for the land Department of Education.

" I think bullying is a very serious problem in our schools, " Buckler said.

While he declined to speak directly about Ismael's case, Buckler said bullying

is more frequent and more insidious than it used to be.

" No child should tolerate being bullied, " Buckler said. " land has laws and

policies in place that prohibit that from happening. "

In 2005, the land General Assembly passed the Safe Schools Reporting Act,

which mandates that the land Department of Education create a form for

reporting incidences of bullying and report the data back to the General

Assembly every year.

State education officials use the form as an investigative tool for reported

incidents to determine what took place and how to prevent the behavior in the

future.

" If your child is being bullied or you're a student, you have recourse, " Buckler

said.

Clayton said he feels most of the blame rests with parents.

" These children are coming to school and they're coming without this type of

education that should have been taught at home in the first place, " Clayton

said. " I can't blame the school system for that. That is the absolute fault of

these parents who are not teaching to these children. "

The Claytons met with administrators at Windsor Mill Middle School, who have

addressed the matter and the climate has improved for Ismael.

" People have stopped bothering me a little bit and only a few people bother me a

lot in school, " Ismael said.

Clayton said he is sharing this difficult story with the hope of change so that

no other child will have to endure what his son has.

" I've been bullied all my life, ever since day one, " Ismael is heard saying in

the online video.