LANCASTER – Steven was a daily target for bullies. They kicked him, punched him, pushed him and called him names every single day, he said. One day Steven ran away to avoid being hit, but a friend-turned-bully pushed him to the ground mid-run, and Steven sustained the worst injuries he’s ever had. With his arm and leg scraped up and bleeding, he headed to the nurse. This was not his first visit, or his last.
“It’s really hard to be hit every single day…it’s just a really bad feeling,” Steven said. “I really just got beaten down every day verbally or physically.”
Steven was not the only kid at Lincoln Elementary being bullied, said his mother Linda Gilstrap, who has since pulled her son out of the school. Gilstrap said other kids were bullied, but not everyone reported it or even wanted to address it.
“It seems like there’s an atmosphere of don’t talk about it or don’t bring it up kind of thing, especially here in Lancaster with the mayor saying this is a safer place and everything,” Gilstrap said. “Well not if you’re in school, it’s not a safer place.”
Steven had to learn survival to get through the day without having someone hit him or push him, and that is just the physical aspect of it, Gilstrap said.
The principal, Kyra Van Acker, as well as teachers, told Steven to simply ignore the verbal bullying, Gilstrap said.
“You can ignore a remark but you can’t ignore a day in and day out barrage of insults,” Gilstrap said. “It’s not sticks and stones can break my bones and words can never hurt me. Words hurt and sometimes the wounds from words can last longer than the bruises.”
The teachers said Steven brought on the bullying by his own behavior, Gilstrap said. Steven’s 4th grade teachers, Victoria Langenohl and Candy Haser, could not be reached for comment.
New anti-bullying laws, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2012, help more easily define and identify bullying. Assembly Bill (AB) 746 states bullying, including cyber bullying, is grounds for suspension or expulsion. Bullying is defined as “one or more acts of sexual harassment, hate violence, or intentional harassment, threats, or intimidation, directed against school district personnel or pupils, committed by a pupil or group of pupils,” according to the California Education Code.
Seth’s Law (AB 9) strengthens existing policies in California schools by requiring that all schools have an anti-bullying policy and, more importantly, the law enacts a time line that school officials must follow when investigating student claims of bullying. Seth’s Law will go into effect July 1, 2012.
“If I were in a work environment… and my coworkers were making comments to me, insults to me…doing anything to me, I’d have a lawsuit because it’s a hostile work environment,” Gilstrap said.
Chesney Logeman Lee said her son was getting bullied every day at Lincoln Elementary, as well. The kids would wait for her son just so they could call him names and hit him, she said.
“I felt as a parent I let my son down,” Logeman Lee said. “I’ve never experienced this in my life.”
Logeman Lee said she felt as if the bullying problem was not being addressed correctly. She added that in trying to interact with the principal, it seemed as if the principal didn’t care.
“During a meeting I had with the school psychologist and the principal, she wasn’t really there, and engaged in anything,” Logeman Lee said. “To me that’s totally backwards.”
Principal Kyra Van Acker could not be reached for comment.
“Instead of dealing with the problem, they would tell them to sit in the office or go to the library during recess,” Logeman Lee said.
Deputy Superintendent of the Lancaster School District Michelle Bowers said she wants to assure parents that something is being done about the bullying.
“We absolutely treat every incident with the utmost concern and do complete full investigations and take everything seriously,” Bowers said.
The administrators and school psychologists, as well as supervisors and administration, have been trained specifically on how to address bullying and how to de-escalate situations, Bowers said. Outside organizations come in and do assemblies with the students that address bullying also, she added.
“We have people who have been victims of bullies…that come in and talk about the effects of bullying,” Bowers said. “Either as feeling that they’ve been bullied or from being a bully themselves and kind of looking back on that with regret and sharing with the students that it’s not a good idea.”
Throughout the course of the current school year, Bowers said she has only heard from 10 different families out of about 15,000 students about their child being bullied. However, these numbers represent only those incidents that have been brought to Bower’s attention.
“Some of those families have called multiple times, but it’s not as though I’m bombarded with a number of calls every day by any stretch of the imagination,” Bowers said. “I don’t believe that this is a widespread concern, but if it’s a concern for one child, we want to make sure it’s addressed.”
Students need to make sure they understand what bullying is and the appropriate way to respond to it, she said. The first step to address the problem is to respond to the bullies by saying, ‘Please stop,’ and the next step is to tell an adult.
This method doesn’t always work.
For example, Steven said he once told someone who was bullying a friend to stop hitting him, but the bully turned around and smacked him in the eye for defending his friend.
“Some of the kids at school chicken out,” Steven said, “and become the bully’s minions because they’re scared of the bullies and don’t want to get beaten themselves.”
Gilstrap added that this was very alarming to her because it teaches a gang mentality.
“That’s how gangs work,” Gilstrap said. “You get jumped and you join a gang because it’s protection. And to me that’s what these kids are learning at a much younger age, that in order to get protection themselves they join up with the kids that are doing it and that was very alarming to me.”
The kids who are getting bullied start to feel like they have to fight back, said Logeman Lee.
“Sometimes I feel like he (my son) likes to bully because he has to stick up for himself,” Logeman Lee said. “It’s changed the way he’s looked at school.”
“But there’s hope,” Gilstrap said. “It seems like some of the principals over there at their schools, they really are working to make a difference. One in particular is Tumbleweed over in Palmdale.”
Jezelle Fullwood, principal of Tumbleweed Elementary, said the school has several plans in place to help prevent bullying.
Tumbleweed has implemented a BEST (Building Effective Schools Together) program with the motto of “Be safe, be respectful and be responsible.”
The BEST discipline program includes regular assemblies as well as a rewards system, Fullwood said. She added that students and teachers can text or email her whenever they do see bullying so it can be addressed immediately.
Gilstrap said she feels better about how Lincoln is handling the bully situation now even though she has pulled her son out of Lincoln school, and has gone back to homeschooling.
“I do feel good that by speaking out and other parents speaking out…(we) have made a difference there because the district has stepped in and is making changes there,” Gilstrap said.
Some of those changes include reaching out to Jeremiah Project 51 and holding fundraisers, which will provide funds to anti-bullying efforts. Jeremiah Project 51, a non-profit organization dedicated to stopping school bullying, was started by a parent whose 14-year-old son took his life because of the bullying and harassment he endured on a daily basis at school.
KAREN GONZALEZ says
My 11 year old went to Linda Verde Elementary.. and the bullying never stopped. The principal kept blaming my son for the bullying.. I had to put him back into homeschooling.
sandy says
my son goes to joshua last year he was in second grade a kid hit him he told his teacher mr.walter his second grade teacher he just told him to sit down when he came home he was still in pain since then his private hurt him i complaing with the teacher the next day and he said HE COULD NOT DO NOTHING BECAUSE IT HAPPEN THE DAY BEFORE AND IS LIKE PUNISHING A PUPPY THAT PEE THE DAY BEFORE that is just stupid i said to him to make matters worse he had the same kid in his class this year and he bully the whole class thank god he move i fell sorry for the kids in his new school im thinking of taking my kids out of school and to steven and linda im glad you did something about it.
Educated in the AV says
The underlying root issue with schools is the fact they they refuse to have integrity and stand up to parents who refuse to acknowledge that their precious wittle babies could ever do anything wrong and deserve to be corrected. Without discipline how can these children ever learn to be functioning adults?
These parents ignore their children’s behavior and scholastic performance. They demand their children be pampered when what they need is to endure the consequences of their actions.
But how can these parents have any clue about consequences when most of them live off government assistance and suffer no consequences themselves?
Quigley says
Your post couldn’t be more accurate! The school district’s enable parents & students. The school sites have to tolerate behavior that should not be allowed because it is public education. The District Offices DO NOT want negative PR so it is never gonna change. Don’t forget the attorney’s that take on all the BS lawsuits because Johnny broke the bus window, and his parent now say he was traumatized because the bus driver told him to stay in his seat…
wana says
I have a 9 year old autistic child that has been getting bullied in the same school for the last 3 years. I am looking into getting a lawyer at this point cause I have done everything in my power to make the school aware of the ongoing problem. My son has a mass in his brain and the school is aware of this, but every week he is being kicked, punched, and verbally hurt and no one is doing anything. I am tired of my child being hurt and punished by the kids and the adults of the schools. He does not need to seat in the office and read a book cause they dont want to stop the kids as they should. I will help in anyway I can to get this to stop and it will not be at the cost of my sons life!
teshi says
This district enables bullies to do whatever they want. My son was in 1st and 2nd grade at Linda Verde, he was being bullied constantly. After my son was knocked to the ground and kicked in the face and the bully sent home for the day, only the day. I lost it, I let the principal know she was a Clown running a circus and headed to the district. I was met by police at my home and arrested in front of my son. I was told that I cause a disturbance, even though I was called to a closed door meeting. I asked why that would be assumed, the officer asked, “did you call her a clown?” Yes, I sure did. That was the real reason! MOVE OUT!! Would be the for sure cure to this, is all I can say because they still have not even addressed this problem, and by the looks of it won’t, they need the money and attendance is a need for funding!! Good Luck!
Al Bondigas says
It seems like the only thing that gets districts all in a tizzy is litigation. Especially if a student is receiving special education services. Districts don’t like the words “due process”. They pay big bucks to make those things go away. What I’m trying to understand is that if a student commits a crime in public, they should get arrested. HOWEVER, If a student commits the same crime at school, the powers that be explain it away as kids just being kids. No, unlawfully touching another person is a battery which is against the law under California Penal Code. The law doesn’t saw specify whether or not a person has to be in public. By the way, aren’t schools public? Maybe parents should call the sheriff’s office when their sons and daughters are battered and harrassed at school. Maybe a group of parents could file a class action suit with the ACLU or the Office of Civil Rights through the U.S. Department of Education.
In any event, districts will do little/nothing unless they are forced.
Christine says
Unfortunately, it is very easy to see where the child bullies in this town are learning their behavior. No where does this article mention sexuality, and yet some posters jumped on the gay bashing bandwagon. How sad is it that a parent who has the strength to inform people of a significant problem in this town has to be further bullied by ADULTS who should know better. All these mothers want to do is to protect their children. On numerous occasions they hey went to the school who did nothing and were met with the cavalier response of “kids will be kids.” Finding that unacceptable, they went to the press in the hopes of bringing this problem to light, and get the same response from adults who should know better. How sad is it that if your child is victimized, the schools won’t help, and the kids won’t stop because their parents believe that this is a sissy kid with a sissy parent and therefore DESERVES what they are getting!
Jacky Johnson says
Agree Christian. Look at how many “parents” are commenting here with the idea that “well, they should expect it if the kid dresses funny” or, God forbid, “they might be gay”. We don’t care that just last year a gay child killed himself in Tehachapi because he couldn’t take the bullying anymore. Yet that WASN’T a child to these adult bully’s. Why? Because he was gay. THAT MADE IT ALRIGHT! What a evil place our valley has become! And these adults are the reason why.
Mrs. Lee says
Sir, Steven is not gay. I know the family well and I am very upset that you would say that on here knowing one day that Steven could read this. That family is going through a lot right now and you are being totally insensitive. A BULLY! My son had the same problems as well as several other parents I met from that school. I come from Pasadena School District and they didnt have these problems. I also had to remove my son from eastside high for same problem. We had to move to the other side of town to get anykind of resolve. Not everyone can afford to do that… This school district needs a overhaul, or we are gonna see one of these schools on the nightly news for something that got out of hand, and could be prevented.
Linda Gilstrap says
Steven was bullied because they could get away with it, plain and simple. The bullying started almost immediately, before anyone even knew Steven. I will never understand why people have to be so ugly in what they say. Is it any wonder that children learn to be ugly to each other as well when us adults act in such ugly ways.
Steven was trying to be friends with kids even after they bullied him and that makes me proud. Proud to see his level of forgiveness and strength of character to resist returning evil for evil.
Lincoln Elementary IS making changes but with Jeffrey’s recent death, I felt Steven had been through enough.
By the tone of some of these posts, it’s clear that there are bullies outside of school. How sad that speaking out makes us targets. I love people enough to continue to speak out when I witness or hear about injustices. Would I participate in this article again??? In a heartbeat!! If no one talks about it, nothing gets done.
From here on out though, it is definitely homeschooling for us all the way. I may be willing to continue to fight and try to make a difference, but my Steven who is only 11 yrs old and in the 5th grade is not going to be part of that fight.
Nicole Dawson says
Dear Linda and Steven Gilstrap,
You are two courageous and strong individuals for putting your story out to the public in hopes of saving another child from bullying. For Steven to pick up for his friend, even in the face of relentless bullying is testament to his character and testament to you, Linda, for raising such an upstanding and outstanding young man.
Too bad that kids his age don’t recognize the strength of his character. To bad for them, not Steven…
I was a victim of bullying all through school, through college, and even now I am bullied from time to time by some of my coworkers. The physical bullying has ended, but has been replaced with snickering, whispering, and condescending remarks designed to make me feel bad about myself.
It seems certain people just can’t stand to see others happy and enjoying life. It used to bother me a lot, especially in high school. But today I can honestly say things have gotten better. The bullying has not stopped, but maturity has supplied me with a new perspective. I no longer fear bullies, I pity them.
Sorry to bore you with my life story. I just needed you, Linda and Steven, to know that I respect and appreciate you, for you are the bravest of them all!!!
Linda Gilstrap says
Thank you so much for your encouragement. How great that you didn’t let the bullying make you bitter. Bullies are to be pitied.
LC says
I’m sorry about the loss of your older son. I couldn’t even imagine.
As far and the bulling, my daughter went through the same thing at a school in the AV. It’s sad schools do nothing to help the child being bullied, and the parents of the bullies won’t take response ability for their child’s actions. Tell your son to stay strong, and by him speaking out about his experience he is helping another child feel not so alone who is going through it as well.
Gladdis says
It is sad that speaking out makes us targets. I am sorry for what has happened to your son and so many other kids.
Bullying seems to be the popular thing to do. Parents argue it’s their kids right to freedom of speach to say whatever they want.
I would compare moving to Lancaster to being dropped onto the set of Mean Girls. So many of the bullies are grown ups and members of the City Staff.
I can’t believe some of the things people have said in their comments. Are they really that hateful or are they just angry about missing an opportunity to be someone!
Chris says
Bullying is wrong!. I would never defend a bully, but I have something to say to parents to encourages an openly gay attitude during schools. It sure seems to me like this is another gay situation. I wonder why the kid was being made fun? Was he wearing high heels, unique hair? One’s sexuality is a private thing, and to wear it on your sleeve is inappropriate.
I used to have a neighbor that was complaining about his kid being picked on at school, I felt horrible about the situation. I felt even worse when I saw the kid, half of his hair was dyed pink, and he had girls clothes on. That is child abuse, the fathers were homosexual and trying to push their lifestyle on the kid.
So much of these problems start in the home, whether it is the bullies, or the victims themselves. Parents need to do more in terms of teaching their children what is right and wrong.
It is smart to often times dig a little deeper into the situation to find out what really happened. I am finding out the hard way that many news sources are really into creating a huge story off of a tiny morsel of evidence. Yellow Journalism???
Lets find out more of the back story first!
Dawn says
Blaming the victim is always the go to for bullies or people whose kids are bullies. NO ONE deserves to be made fun of, regardless of their sexuality. Where in this story did you see any mention about anyone being gay anyway??? Let me guess, you figured because this kid was bullied and told his mother and the school about it, then he must be some kind of sissy right? That’s sad, a$$ backwards and ignorant thinking!!!
This is about a grade school kid being made fun and being verbally and physically abused. It is horrible and disgusting, and for you to try and put blame on the victim makes you horrible and disgusting!!!!
And this is no tiny morsel of evidence, it’s a full fledged crisis. For the record, BULLYING IS A PROBLEM and I am mad as hell about it! I know of at least half a dozen parents who’ve had to pull their kids from school. And none of it was because of sexuality. These kids are in grade school for Christ’s sake!! The people in this story were brave enough to come forward and look at how you instantly try to find fault with them.
People like you sir, are part of the problem.
And you sound just plain ignorant when you talk about wearing sexuality on one’s sleeve. So should I try to bully a biker for wearing his manhood on his sleeve? Or bully a woman for wearing a tight dress? After all, wouldn’t she be wearing her sexuality on her sleeve as well.
You need to educate yourself before you go shooting off at the mouth about situations you know absolute nothing about!!! I swear, this makes me so mad!!!
Kje says
Well said Dawn! I totally agree with everything you said. Chris and J, you are both idiots!
Gladdis says
thumbs up to you Dawn!
J says
Well said Chris! Ms. Gilstrap, I too agree that bullying is wrong. HOWEVER, let me put my two cents worth in here. Although it’s wrong, kids make fun of looks. Your son appears to be a bit feminine. Some have commented here he is gay. I don’t know. Also, he appears to be a bi-racial child. Now of course there’s nothing wrong with that in your mind. But you apparently made a (selfish?) choice some years ago to have a bi-racial kid, without considering that “look” is a target on his back. Where is the father in this picture, by the way? We can all agree its wrong, but true. If he is in fact trying to push his (or your) gay agenda on those around him, I have a hard time feeling sorry for him. No matter how hard the libs try to convince us gay is ok, the majority still believe it’s wrong. Like Chris said, keep your sexuality to yourself. That should be obvious already if it’s bringing negative attention his way!
Linda Gilstrap says
He isn’t gay and that had NOTHING to do with this.
J says
Fair enough….care to clue us in on what the teachers meant when they said his behavior brought on the bullying? Where is his father to help with this situation?
Jacky Johnson says
His behavior? Really? He probably approached the kids, trying to be “apart of”. And because he wasn’t cool enough, (or because these kids have parents like YOU) they figured he was to goofy to “belong” and made him pay for it. As that’s how it happens. And WHO CARES where his dad is? If his father wasn’t in the picture, would that make it OK to bully him? J, you keep looking for a reason why it was OK to bully this kid. YOU ARE THE PROBLEM. Do everyone a favor and keep your kids at home. You have taught your children that bullying is OK if they can just find something “wrong” with the kid they’ve picked on.
Wonder how many times your kid and you have been called in? And you stuck up for your kid, didn’t you? I can hear you whining now. “Well that kid deserved it because…(fill in the blank)” A perfect example of a father that does wrong by ALL kids. And proof that having a father in the picture can be as bad as not having one.
Dawn says
Thank you Jacky for saying exactly what I was feeling when I read the ridiculous comment from “J” trying to give weight to the ridiculous assertion by clueless teachers that somehow Steven’s behavior brought on the bullying.
Hey “J”, here is what I THINK the teachers meant by that statement: “In my own narrow world, boys should be tough and not complain about bullying, and those that do so are whiny. Because this boy has complained to me about being bullied I have judged him as being whiny and soft. His whiny, soft behavior has brought on the bullying, and I wish his parents would see that and leave me alone, for I am an apathetic, harassed teacher with neither the time nor the aptitude to deal with bullying.”
Gladdis says
I think the teacher was thinking, “oh my god, please don’t tell me this and expect me to do something. The last time I had to deal with this, a parent came to the school and threatened to kick my ass.” So they chose not to hear the child and not to do anything about it.
Jacky Johnson says
Well, from the comments we certainly can understand why we have so many bullies in the AV. Look at these adult bullies. “Selfish choice to have a bi-racial child”? Simply amazing! “He looks feminine”? So J. You look at a grammar school kid, and you see a feminine child??? Does us a favor. Stay away from ALL kids!!! You don’t just sound like an A1 Bully. You sound like the kinda creep that sexualizes children.
And Chris takes the pain of a child and turns it into an anti-gay lecture. He doesn’t want any kid bullied. Except for gay kids.
God help our children in this valley. Keep them safe from these creeps, and these creeps kids.
NIMBY says
@J, Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:1-2
LC says
Nowhere did I see anything about him being gay. And if he was WHO CARES!!!! We should be teaching our children to be kind to everyone. Even if you do not agree with a person sexuality, you should not make fun of or bully. We are lucky enough to live in a free county, if someone wants to wear their sexuality on their sleeve, that is there decision to make. Just like you thinking it is inappropriate it is your right. But that’s as far as it should go. No one should be made fun of because of it or told that’s what you get mentality.
Justice Callout says
????Bullying is Lancaster’s social pass time starting with Mayor Bully himself seeking revenge for his years of servitude as a dwarf to bigger kids. Still a dwarf, but an mayoral dwarf.
William says
Dontcha just love his puppy dog eyes when he’s doing those teevee commercials for his law firm? What an ‘actress’ he is.
Hail King says
Puppy dog actress if you want to call him, santa clause, prince of tort ambulance chassers, the man is what lancaster deserves. He is what we settled for and with out doubt what this silly town encrusted with idiots holding on to the past praying to a false god to deliver them back to past desreve.
H8 Section8 says
Sounds like you William and Justice have a personal vendetta against Mr Mayor. Maybe your one of the ex-cons he promised to eradicate from this town. Hmmm…
William says
Parris is an obnoxious jerk and I need to point out to you since you seem to be clueless.
Justice Callout says
You fotgot to add Countt Parris’ personal victimization from the past has rendered him a bully fixated on getting even himself and his fans love it.
Ana says
I just wanted to say that I have had bullying happen to my daughter a couple of times now at Amargosa Creek Middle School in Lancaster. The kids are scared to tell anyone fearing that it would only make the bullying worse and when they finally go and tell a yard duty or the principal they just shrug it off and do nothing. This is the problem. These bullies have no consequences for their actions. The schools, staff, and educators need to change some of their thinking and they need to stop the bullying. Especially when a child comes to you. I can’t believe that even a parent can go in as what happened to my daughters friend that was also getting bullied, and still the school did nothing. It’s so frustrating! Come on Lancaster schools…lets do something to solve the problem and stop the bullying!!!
LC says
I had the same thing with my daughter, she was bullied for 3 years.. The yard lady and principle did nothing. The teacher tried to do a parent teacher conference with the bullies parents (there was 3 girls) The parents were a no show. It got bad fast, the girls would though pudding in her hair, (and the office would help her clean herself up, but not call me) hit her, It was bad. I told her next time she goes to the office, do not leave tell they call me. They called me when I asked them what was going to be done, then blow it off. So I threaten a law suit. And they fixed the issue. It should have had to get to that point though.
Yo Mama says
“Please stop?” C’mon. Who’s gonna do that, or tell an adult if they’re bein bullyed? None of em! This just in. Where do “educators” come up with this ridiculous crap. What they need to do is encourage the bullied to stand up for themselves and give the bully what they deserve. A good ol fashioned ass-whoopin. That’s what my Pap taught me when I was bullied in the 1st grade nearly 40 years ago. I’ve been kickin bully ass ever since.
Yes, that’s “since”… Pay attention.
Gladdis says
Being confused about whether they are male or female has little or nothing to do with the group of kids doing drugs, joining gangs and not learning to read and write.
Bullying is a major problem. It goes hand in hand with the kids fighting after school. What’s it going to take for the schools or lasd to do something to stop that?
The schools are supposed to be a safe place for our kids to go learn. Those kids that don’t allow the rest of the kids to learn or the teachers to teach should be put out of school. Let their parents figure out what to do with them. Probably a large number of those parents are not employed.
Maybe they should be sitting in class along side of their child everyday.
Good movie, relevant to this subject is “Detachment”.
William says
“SEE’S”???? Really, Ace. ‘SEE’S’ is the wonderful candy store in the Mall. You should go there as they ‘serve nuts’.
The AV Times Staff says
Ace, the only agenda this article addresses is bullying in Lancaster schools.
Your comment was removed because it was verbally abusive towards one of the people pictured in the story. This story is about bullying, therefore, we have made an editorial decision to protect the subjects of this story from any bullying on this site.
Any personal attacks against the subjects of this story will be removed.
William says
Dear AV Times Staff,
How about turning this site over to Ace and Abdul so they can simply talk to each other and create a new website without them.
Thanks,
William
Please says
I second that William
Alaine says
Sad when the school becomes the bully!