Assistant principal details tactics for dealing with bullies

Editor’s Note: This story is a follow-up to a cyberbullying article that appeared previously. Since that original story, we wanted to go deeper, and LHS’ Jim Germany agreed to a follow-up. This is an account of that interview.

Bullying was once defined by children duking it out at the sandlot and intimidating fellow students by knocking textbooks out of their hands in the halls at school.

“There is still the 5 percent of students bullying the old-fashioned way,” Jim Germany, Libby High School vice principal said. “Large portions of our students are still the good kids.”

Local principals reiterated the need for students and parents to come forward when threats and intimidation issues arise.

“Time and time again, as an administrator, I hear a kid tell me they’re being bullied,” Germany said. “But, when I start talking to them about the incidents the story really unfolds.”

“Some kids don’t realize they are bullying — when I confront them they say, ‘I was just messing around,’ they just don’t know when to stop sometimes.”

Germany expressed concern for the definition of bullying — the word is used so often, it is important for students to really understand what it means, when is too much and how to handle bullying situations.

“I always try to make it clear, if a kid is bullied — maybe someone is calling them names — they have to be really strong and draw the, ‘line-in-the-sand’ and tell the person not to call them a name again,” Germany said. “If the kid continues to get bullied, that’s when I come down on the bully. Most kids don’t realize the punishments they might face with bullying.”

School administrators explained the difficulty in their jobs with issues of a sensitive nature. Teachers, counselors and administrators are willing and prepared to deal with problems facing pre-teens, “tweens” and teens.

“I understand voicing concerns to an adult, a teacher or someone like myself is really scary,” Germany said. “The kids need to know, if we don’t know what is going on we cannot help. I want students to know they can trust us to do whatever we can to help them.”

Germany revealed multiple occurrences of bullying, harassment and cyberbullying. A meeting room, he termed, “the room,” across from his office has become somewhat popular for students to use to resolve conflict.

“In the halls of the school, things can get pretty bad with name calling and comments being made to one another back and forth,” Germany said. “When things get-out-of-hand in the halls, and maybe some things have been posted on Facebook or in a text message, a student will come to my office and say, ‘Mr. Germany, I need to use the room now,’ — I know these kids want to get the problem out-in-the-open and over with.”

Germany used the term, “chef” to describe the students who continuously create problems or, “stir-the-pot.” However, the chefs are less of a concern to Germany than the students who see bullying happen and do nothing to stop it or to stand-up for those being bullied.

“I do think there are a lot of kids who do stand-up for kids who are bullied,” Germany said. “When a kid asks another kid to stop bullying, they also need to consider whether-or-not they contributed to the problem.”

“All too many times, kids tease one another — everything is fine until one kid gets upset — then they come to me and say they have been bullied. Bullying is serious, but when both sides are responsible I use the opportunity to teach a lesson.”

Age and gender play a role in the experiences students will encounter at school and off-school grounds. At the elementary level, mobile devices are used less to harass fellow students. However, because elementary students are of an age where they are more aware of words, they are still inexperienced in the definition of the words and when it is appropriate to use them.

Recently, Libby Elementary School Principal Ron Goodman was advised a couple of children were engaging fellow students, on-and-off school grounds, in conversations inappropriate for their age.

Concerned parents and students uncomfortable with the incidents alerted Goodman, giving him the opportunity to aggressively address the issue.

“There are so many things parents can do — there are so many rights awarded to parents on behalf of their kids,” Goodman said. “We do not allow these types of things to continue, we begin investigations immediately and speak with the kids directly.”

Germany said he wished there was a way for parents and the community to see the efforts made behind the scenes, and the end results. Too often he said parents and students come in to file a complaint and we begin the process to resolve the issue. However, individuals move on and do not see the final outcome.

“The victory, when an issue is resolved, isn’t broadcast over the loud speakers,” Germany said. “Sometimes it seems people don’t think we do anything about the problems.”

In some ways Germany sees social media and mobile devices in communication as a positive.

“Twenty years ago you would spray paint something bad about someone on a way or in the bathroom and it would stay there till someone painted over it,” Germany said. “Now, yes a comment or text can be posted and go out to everyone instantly, but it can also be deleted from someone’s phone or off their Facebook page just as fast.”

“I live and breathe this school, the students and their problems — I want them to know I’m here to help. Even if they want to leave an anonymous message for me, it’s OK with me.”