By Shari Phiel
Berthoud Recorder

The recent case of Berthoud High School athlete Brandyn Wahlert, who was charged with four counts of third-degree assault — a Class 1 misdemeanor, stemming from a series of alleged hazing incidents — has in many ways polarized students, parents and residents in the community.

Some view the incidents as nothing more than “boys being boys” and both the school’s and Berthoud Police Department’s subsequent involvement as examples of overzealous prosecution. But there are many others think Wahlert, who was suspended for 10 days, got off light and typifies a culture in the Berthoud school system that tolerates, ignores or even condones bullying behavior – especially within athletics.

When asked about the police’s involvement with the case, School Resource Officer Pablo Vasquez responded, “The police got involved because a crime was committed.”

It’s not hard to find any number of parents with stories of sons and daughters who have been teased, called names, made fun or any other number of verbal harassment. One mother talked about her son, now graduated from BHS, was frequently called a “fag” by several football players for being on the high school soccer team. Others talked of their children being hit with locker doors, another of a son being violently shoved against lockers in school halls between classes. 

Unfortunately, it is hard to find parents or students willing to speak openly and on record about incidents that occur at any of Berthoud’s schools. The pressure to conform, to fit-in with their peers is enormous for students. Coming forward is often seen as “ratting” on other students and they can be subjected to retaliation by either the bully or his or her friends. 

Retaliation is something parents worry about as well, not for themselves but for their children. Sadly, that’s not the only reason why parents resist reporting incidents to school officials. When asked why there is such a reluctance to come forward, one parent said, “They just don’t feel like it will do any good.”

According to the Thompson School District’s discipline code, “The principal may suspend and/or recommend expulsion of a student,” for “causing or attempting to cause physical injury to another person except in self- defense,” or for violation of criminal law. It may seem like a relatively straight-forward process for disciplining those who violate the district’s policies, but not necessarily.

Wes Fothergill, director of Communication and Community Resources for the school district, said, “The disciplinary action that principals take is relative to a matrix that they use,” which may explain seemingly disparate disciplinary actions. Take for example the case of a student suspended last year for using racial slurs and threats against another student. When compared to the Wahlert case, the punishment for a verbal attack seems far more severe than the punishment meted out for a physical attack. Fothergill points out that because school officials cannot discuss the specifics of any disciplinary action or hearing, people “generally only have part of the information.”
      
The Thompson School District has launched its own internal investigation of how the recent hazing incidents at Berthoud High School were handled. No additional information on the investigation is available from the school district at this time.

The question isn’t whether or not bullying occurs in Berthoud’s school system. The real question is what to do about the problem. For schools, experts recommend creating a code that uses input from teachers and students about what is and is not acceptable behavior, identify the consequences for committing offenses and then hold students accountable for their actions – no exceptions, no matter what.

For parents, students and school staff, the biggest key, as it is to so many problems, is communication. Randi Levin is a psychologist and writer living in Boulder. She says, “Start a group where kids, with some adult supervision, can come and talk about the problem.” Other recommendations include having an expert in childhood behavior from outside the school lead a roundtable discussion with parents and school staff.

Left unchecked, bullying, hazing, harassment and other similar behavior can have long-lasting, destructive effects on not only the victims but their peers as well as those who commit the offenses. The only way to stop school bullying is to take a stand, speak up and bring it out in the open.