I think you should convince some of your closest friends first. It's always easier to do things when you have friends backing you up.

Once you have your friends, together you can begin your crusade against meanness and ignorance.

I would also suggest showing your peers just how important it is to you. Try not to yell, but give them pure passion. People are often taken aback by that and may realize how horrible they're being and how important it is.

I think you' ve already begun doing both of my suggestions, but I wasn't sure, so here they are.^                                                                                                                                                

Guys, I decided it's time I reveal. Not for anything special, just because I feel if I am to help anyone, I cannot hide in fear. So at the end of this letter, I show my CB name. This letter is addressed to the Principal, students, and staff of my school, but my Principal will see it first. Please tell me if there is anything I should edit before I reveal this on Tuesday to my school. Thank you for all the kind words and advice, this means a lot to me.

[Letter Starts Here]

To Whom it May Concern,

I have discovered a serious conflict within [school title blocked out], relating to the treatment of special ed students. It became clear a few months ago that these students were being treated differently, both by their teachers and classmates.

One example was through that of the paraeducator. A young elementary student had fallen and hurt herself, and the paraeducator has mocked the child, laughing and pretending to cry as the hurt student was doing. No action was done to comfort the child or see if she was okay. When the issue was discussed, the solution was to keep the child inside by herself during recess, acting as a punishment. This should not have happened - a paraeducator is one person who a special ed child is supposed to trust. How can they feel safe if the one person they respect within a school has thrown them out?

Another example of the situation is this: two high school students had been working together on an assignment where they had to copy word for word what the text had said. One of these students was in special ed, the other not. Once the papers had been graded, the two students compared scores and realized the one who was not in special ed had been marked down for the same copy work. Once this student asked the teacher why that was, the received answer was simply, “I expect you to write more due to your higher reading level compared to your classmates”. The student who was marked down then discussed this with the other classmate, and offense was taken. The teacher had basically called the special ed student “stupid” for he had a lower reading level than the other student. Again, nothing was done about this.

Another serious issue is being presented in the high school through the elder classes. There are a select group of unique individuals in middle school who have been treated terribly by a few high schoolers. They are constantly being called annoying, stupid, and weird. This form of bullying has been done behind their backs, leaving words to be harshly spread about those students. The key is, the students being bullied are also in special ed, and are all brilliant in their ways. When asked to stop the bullying by fellow classmates, the students just continue. This needs to be managed, yet nothing has been done. Teachers have been present when these things have been said, but action to stop the verbal bullying has stopped.

The final situation discussed here takes place in the elementary once again. A single special ed student had been purposely annoyed by the classmates who did not like her. This was always done in front of their teacher, but he would do nothing. At last, action was taken to allow her to sit where she wished, but that did not stop the bullying to completion. In fact, this made it worse in ways, since this student was given special privileges that the others wanted. The real solution would have been to talk to the students, yet this was never done.

There is a single request for whoever may read this: take action. Your students - some of the most unique individuals ever met - are being bullied by both staff and students. The motto of the school is claimed to be, “small and mighty” yet, if you will not take action by a “small” student requesting this, then there is no “mighty” in the school. Action is simple to do, whether you may be the principal, a teacher, or a student. All three groups will read this letter in time, and it will take unity to fix the issue presented. If no real action is taken to place before the end of the semester, I will bring this letter, and others, publicly to parents. No one wants their children in an environment where they are being brought down. Again, the request is simple. Solve it, and all will go well.

Sincerely,

Ashlee G.