Bastrop ISD parent says son choked at school
A Bastrop parent says her 10-year-old son was bullied at school again.
This time, she says he was choked with a shoelace. That parent says the district has taken action. What she wants now is to raise awareness about the dangers of bullying.
She reached out to FOX 7 for help last year and again after this recent incident. She wants to let parents know bullying is real and has real affects on children.
It was a phone call Elisa Rodriguez never expected to get from her son.
"He called me during P.E. and said, 'Mom, I want to go home.' I said, 'Why, what happened?' He says, 'Someone just choked me with a shoelace,' says Elisa Rodriguez, Leonard's mother.
10-year-old Leonard is a 5th grader at Bastrop Intermediate School. His mother says the bullying incident happened on April 9th during P.E.
"A 10-year-old taking a shoelace and wrapping it around your child's neck, beginning to choke him, and your son says, 'I was feeling like I couldn't breathe.' You're speechless," says Rodriguez.
She says this isn't the first time Leonard has been targeted. Back in December he was reportedly punched and kicked while riding the school bus home. At that time, the district opened up an investigation and told FOX 7 Austin the incident did not meet the criteria of bullying. Leonard's mother disagreed, protesting against the district for a month across from the school. Since then, Leonard's mother says the bullying hasn't stopped. She says she was even forced to stop working.
"This might seem so minute, to some people it might seem small, but to me it's not because he could've really hurt my son," says Rodriguez.
She's putting together an anti-bullying event next month, hoping to let other families going through this same situation know they aren't alone.
"The best way I can think of, is just always being here for him: letting him know that I'm here, he can talk to me, that I'm his voice, I'm his backbone," says Rodriguez.
The anti-bullying event will take place May 19th at 8:00 a.m. at Casa Moreno's Restaurant, 2410 E. Riverside Dr. You can find out more information by clicking here.
Bastrop ISD issued us this statement:
"Bastrop ISD's highest priority is to have schools that are welcoming and where all students feel safe. To that end, we have policies and procedures in place that allow students and parents to report bullying or share any other concerns they may have. We also have a confidential reporting system called "Be A Hero" where an individual can remain anonymous in their reporting. Anytime a report or incident is brought to our attention, we investigate thoroughly, and if bullying is determined, we take all appropriate measures as outlined in the student code of conduct. To maintain student privacy under FERPA, we are unable to comment specifically on a particular student."