Circling My Wagons

Later that day, I get a confirmation email that although "all the stakeholders were not available to meet at the original proposed time, we'd be happy to meet at 10 am Friday. Will Pat's father be joining us?"

Well if you'd include Pat's father on the email as I've asked 3 or 4 times, he'd be able to answer for himself, asswipe.

I forward the email to Lars and ask him to send them a reply.

I can tell from the email Lars sent to me in reply that he was concerned about my level of aggression toward the school. Like he was afraid they'd get so defensive they'd make things hard for Pat and Hil.

What a moron. Public school is the one place you can exercise your rights. They are always informing you of what they are. Usually on blue or peach paper. It's like they invite you to hold them accountable. Maybe no one does. I surely will.

He keeps asking what I hope to accomplish, and is most interested in the damn papers he filed with Pat. He is completely missing the point. I am learning that the school is completely inept when it comes to matters of bullying. We may resolve Pat's problem quite quickly. What happens when it is Hil? Or one of Pat's friends?

When he replies to McDuff that since he's already made two trips to the school he'll find it difficult to take time off to do so again, but that he is grateful for the effort that the school has made on Pat's behalf so far, I am afraid he's gone soft, and just as happy that he can't attend. I don't need his peacemaking milquetoast cowering interfering with my mission.

I set about information gathering and preparing for this meeting like Atticus Finch prepared his closing argument in defense of Tom Robinson. I got copies of other school district's policies. I got advice from websites geared toward creating awareness of bullying. I read and read and read.

And I open the documents McDuff had sent when I'd requested the policy against bullying and read them thoroughly again. The Harassment policy is thorough but no one here is making fun of Pat because of any affiliation with a protected class. And the handbook spends pages on the dress code, but devotes about 19 words to the definition of bullying. Uses the word "bullying" in the definition (Duh!), and mentions only things that would fall under the umbrella of cyber bullying. Makes no mention of physical violence. Doesn't anyone care about good old fashioned bloody-your-nose-on-the-playground bullying? And there isn't a single syllable written about bullying beyond its weak definition.

And again, I take to my iPhone and send an email to all of the administrators with whom I am scheduled to meet.

I am writing to inquire if there is an additional bullying policy that I can review.
I've read the links you sent and the Unlawful Harassment Policy is a standard policy that has no relevance to this situation.
The handbook barely mentions bullying, and poorly defines it. There is no procedural information at all.
The poster you initially sent seems to reference a more comprehensive position statement that I am hoping is fully articulated in a formal policy.
Please advise so that I may review thoroughly before we meet.

McDuff writes back the next morning.

"At the moment, these are the documents that guide our district."

Thought so. I have just painted him, and the district as well, into a corner without having even met yet.