Jackson community hosts meeting focusing on bullying in schools

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Bullying. It’s something that happens everywhere, including at your child’s school.

With the new school year just getting underway, Ward 3 Jackson City Councilman Kenneth Stokes wanted to shine a light on this issue, and the dangers that come with it.

The councilman said he wants to get ahead of this issue in hopes of preventing it from happening to anyone this school year.

During a town hall on Thursday night, students, parents, educators, and law enforcement were all on hand.

Some shared their unfortunate experiences with being bullied or their loved ones being bullied. Others shared resources and ways to navigate through it.

Those on hand encouraged others who are being bullied to not be afraid to speak up and let someone know what’s going on.

Parents and teachers said a lot of times they don’t know it’s happening if it’s not brought to their attention.

“This is the thing that we talk about with the kids in our youth camp,” said Interim Police Chief Joseph Wade, with the Jackson Police Department. When you talk about bullying, you talk about things that contribute to teen suicide, teen suicide. That’s a whole other component to this. You may be bullying somebody that feels like they have nobody to talk to, nobody to help them, then that child makes that permanent decision about a temporary matter by taking their life, and guess what, it happens, and it happens here in the city of Jackson.”

Wade said one of the common ways kids are bullying each other in today’s time is on social media.

The interim police chief said there can be criminal charges that come with bullying.

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