FCPS Coaching through intimidation bulling
Date: February 25, 2012 04:39PM
As an employee of Fairax county, I have noted with heightened awareness FCPS anti bulling campaign. This message is made clear, bullying will not be tolerated. Students know this behavior has consequences. They have been told what to do,if they witness, become a target of or victim of bulling by another student.
Who are targets?
Targets are ethical and honest. Some targets are whistleblowers who expose the unacceptable practices or behaviors.
Targets are non-confrontive. They do not respond to aggression with aggression. The price paid for apparent submissiveness is that the bully can act with impunity (as long as the administration also does nothing).
What is the established protocol per FCPS or VHSL when the target(s) are student(s)being bullied by a Teacher or Coaches within FCPS high school sports?
Teachers, coaches and their staff are bullying through verbal assaults, physical (a shove or push) verbal intimidation,harassment, and humiliation,of students under the guise of coaching.
I have personally witnessed this behavior. The most disturbing, personnel narratives by students, of instances during practices and in the classroom, that have been directed at a specific player, not them selves. There are the times a parent approaches another parent inquiring how their child is doing, because of the bulling. The parent is unaware what has happened, the intimidation has worked. Silence
"In the act of bullying, the bully makes a public statement to the effect of:
'See me and fear me, I am so powerful that I have the ability to inflict pain
upon the intended target at the time and manner of my choice without having to
pay any consequences.' Should an intended target exhibit a 'defeated attitude' in
response to chronic bullying, then the bullying is likely to continue "
"Bullying by a teacher/Coach
defined as a pattern of conduct, rooted in a power differential, that threatens, harms, humiliates, induces fear, or causes a student substantial emotional distress. Abuse of power that tends to be chronic and often expressed in public, a form of humiliation that generates attention while degrading the student in front of others, students capabilities are debased and identity is ridiculed. In nearly every case of teacher bullying it is a singular target that is bullied repeatedly. Equally significant is that the teacher usually receives
no retribution or other negative consequences. "
I am guilty. I am a bystander, maintaining silence, at the request of others. Students are afraid of retaliation in the classroom and on the field.
When or if parents do complain, the complaints are deflected, suggesting there are other motives for the complaint. ie : playing time. The coaches have their own policy. The parent then again worries, their child will be victimized further by teacher or coach as a result of inquires into any perceived negative behaviors by the staff.
The code of silence by co-workers and administrators is troubling.
When administrations stand silent and do nothing,they are confirming the teacher/coach has a right to use their professional authority in this manner. They are endorsing and legitimizing this unacceptable behavior.
Where is the boundary in high school? At what point does the teacher/ Coach
become by definition, a bully?
How do we bring this abuse to the attention of all involved in FCPS high school sports?