Spring-Ford Officials Address Bullying Claims

Spring-Ford Area School District Superintendent David Goodin addressed the issue of bullying during his report at Monday’s school board meeting, in response to a June 19 Patch Letter to the Editor by Samantha Clemmer, the mother of a Spring-Ford student who she says faces “relentless bullying” in the school district.

According to Clemmer, her son, who is on a waiting list to switch into another school district, gets “locked out of his classrooms, his personal belongings get destroyed, and is constantly threatened,” among other issues.

Click here to read Clemmer’s full Letter to the Editor.

Nearly 40 readers commented on the letter. Many expressed sympathy for Clemmer and her son, some supported in the school and staff, others recounted similar situation within the school district, and some accused school officials of ignoring the bullying.

In addressing the subject publicly, Goodin said that making students feel “included and welcome is of the utmost importance" in the district, and that Spring-Ford elementary and intermediate schools have long-established social programs that teach respect, selflessness, and acceptance.

“Simply go into our elementary schools and see the pro-social themes and the focus on respect – all of the characteristics we want to see in human beings being prominently a part of what happens in our schools,” Goodin said. “Our programs stress that no matter our differences, we are equals – and that is what makes us unique.”

According to Goodin, though, there is no program that exists that will make people nice to one another. 

“We can be diligent, we can teach these values and virtues to our students,” Goodin said.  “But there is no program that will make students, or much less adults, be nice to each other.”

Goodin said that when bullying is reported in the school district, the claims are investigated.

“When educators learn of bullying incidents that impact our students, swift and appropriate action is taken to fully investigate the situation and when these situations are substantiated, any student found to be in violation of this policy will be disciplined accordingly,” Goodin said.

Goodin also referenced the district’s work with the Niblick family to create www.friendwatch.org last year, an online forum on district websites that allows students to anonymously report bullying incidents.

Goodin, who was the “biggest cheerleader” for the program according to organizers, can be seen in a welcome video promoting the site.

School Board President Tom DiBello called the letter, and the subsequent comments regarding bullying “heartbreaking,” and brought attention to the fact that many readers said teachers are aware of the bullying and do nothing.

“If that ever was true, I would suspect that would be handled very quickly, without any decisions as far as how it should be addressed,” DiBello said.

“I was disturbed with the accusation that these things are witness, observed, tolerated and not addressed,” Goodin said.  “I take exception to that claim.”

According to Goodin, investigations are conducted after reports of bullying are made, and “we indeed to take action, and swiftly.”

Goodin assured the public that this issue would continue to be addressed with the staff.

“As our staff comes back, we will once again bring that out and make it prominent that we need to deal with this kind of behavior swiftly, and be intolerant to this kind of behavior,” Goodin said.

Click here for Goodin's full statement.