Fifteen year old Rick Ashby appeared in juvenile court Tuesday after police say he attacked another student Monday with a knife. Ashby's mom says it happened after her son endured years of bullying and harassment.
Jennifer Murphy says her ninth grader was scared to tell school officials of the torment he experienced. The situation prompted the Des Moines school district to re-evaluate the way they address bullying in the classroom.
What pushes a ninth grader to bring a knife to school and stab another student?
"Kids are pretty cruel to other kids and if we aren't careful we see violence," says Dr. Donner Dewdney, a child psychiatrist.
Cruel comments, ridicule, and humiliation, says Dr. Donner Dewdney. All forms of bullying.
"It's not really an unusual event in schools right now. Bullying is a real problem with kids in school, especially middle schools kids."
Dr. Dewdney has worked with troubled kids for over 40 years. He says he wasn't surprised when he heard of the stabbing at Lincoln South. Even less surprising, he says, is the fact Rick Ashby never told anyone he was being bullied. "They're worried if they complain to the counselor if the kids find out they're going be in even worse shape."
Des Moines school district director of student Affairs admits bullying is a problem in the schools. "It's a hard thing to do to have kids feel empowered its ok for me to come forward," says Mary Lynne Jones. But Jones insists the district is being proactive about addressing bullying. "Bullying has been an issue on society since beginning of time we are making a very sincere issue to address it made inroads things are not perfect at least we're trying."
The district is using websites like stopbullyingnow.org to teach kids what bullying is, and how they should report it.
Dr. Dewdney says it's impossible to prevent every kid from bullying, but he believes Des Moines kids are safer than they ever have been before.
"I'm encouraged over all the last few years what schools are doing to make things better."
Des Moines School District says every year officials talk to students about what bullying is, and what they should do if it happens to them. The District says they have a zero tolerance for bullying.
The investigation into what happened at Lincoln South continues.
Rick Ashby could be expelled.
Jennifer Murphy says her ninth grader was scared to tell school officials of the torment he experienced. The situation prompted the Des Moines school district to re-evaluate the way they address bullying in the classroom.
What pushes a ninth grader to bring a knife to school and stab another student?
"Kids are pretty cruel to other kids and if we aren't careful we see violence," says Dr. Donner Dewdney, a child psychiatrist.
Cruel comments, ridicule, and humiliation, says Dr. Donner Dewdney. All forms of bullying.
"It's not really an unusual event in schools right now. Bullying is a real problem with kids in school, especially middle schools kids."
Dr. Dewdney has worked with troubled kids for over 40 years. He says he wasn't surprised when he heard of the stabbing at Lincoln South. Even less surprising, he says, is the fact Rick Ashby never told anyone he was being bullied. "They're worried if they complain to the counselor if the kids find out they're going be in even worse shape."
Des Moines school district director of student Affairs admits bullying is a problem in the schools. "It's a hard thing to do to have kids feel empowered its ok for me to come forward," says Mary Lynne Jones. But Jones insists the district is being proactive about addressing bullying. "Bullying has been an issue on society since beginning of time we are making a very sincere issue to address it made inroads things are not perfect at least we're trying."
The district is using websites like stopbullyingnow.org to teach kids what bullying is, and how they should report it.
Dr. Dewdney says it's impossible to prevent every kid from bullying, but he believes Des Moines kids are safer than they ever have been before.
"I'm encouraged over all the last few years what schools are doing to make things better."
Des Moines School District says every year officials talk to students about what bullying is, and what they should do if it happens to them. The District says they have a zero tolerance for bullying.
The investigation into what happened at Lincoln South continues.
Rick Ashby could be expelled.
