Austin ISD parent claims her daughter is victim of bullying

Loading Video…

This browser does not support the Video element.

AISD mom says her daughter is victim of bullying

A woman says her daughter has endured years of bullying, and she claims all of her efforts to stop it have been unsuccessful.

A woman says her daughter has endured years of bullying, and she claims all of her efforts to stop it have been unsuccessful.

Austin ISD parent says her daughter is the victim of bullying

What the parent is saying:

"My daughter used to love to come to school. Now it's, you know, those days when she doesn't want to go to school," said concerned parent, Queenie.

It's a heartbreaking reality for one local family.

Queenie says her daughter, an eighth grader at Murchison Middle School, has been bullied since the sixth grade.

"Just being really ugly with the bullying, pushing her, kicking her, spitting on her," said Queenie.

Name-calling, racial slurs, and even telling her daughter to end her life, Queenie claims.

"I was calling the school, like, back to back, back to back to back for three weeks. And I was calling the school every single day. Please watch out for my daughter. Please, please, please. I talked to the principal, the counselor, the caseworkers. I've talked to everybody," said Queenie.

But she says the bullying still continues.

One day she says her daughter had enough and fought back. After the fight, she says her daughter was sent to an alternative learning center for 20 days as a result.

Now Queenie says her daughter is afraid to return to Murchison.

"I just want the school to open up and to have people in the hallways to make sure they watch because one of these kids could end up getting hurt," said Queenie.

Child therapist chimes in

Why you should care:

Infant and early childhood mental health therapist Rosanne Carter says bullying can have major impacts on kids.

"If one person is saying it, it must be true, or they're telling other people, other people are saying it. So, it must be true, too. They start to believe it's an internal story about them. That can be devastating. Short term and long term," said Carter.

She says parents should validate how their child is feeling and look out for warning signs like changes in their sleep or eating habits.

"Avoiding school, avoiding spaces where they might run into people or kids that they know. Avoiding conversation with parents, avoiding activities, things that they normally love," said Carter.

For parents, Carter recommends the PAUSE method:

  • Pause and breathe - be aware of your response
  • Acknowledge your own feelings
  • Understand the goal you hope to get across
  • State your facts, be clear and objective
  • Engage collaboratively with a trusted school source

Austin ISD's response

What they're saying:

FOX 7 Austin reached out to Austin ISD for comment. The district said it does not comment on specific incidents involving students.

The district directed us to its bullying prevention initiatives and resources to families page.

That page reads in part, "Demonstration of appropriate behavior, treating others with civility and respect, and refusing to tolerate bullying or harassment is expected by staff and students alike. It’s our goal to produce an environment where all students feel safe and are confident in achieving success in school."

You can find additional bullying resources from AISD here, and more from Rosanne Carter here.

The Source: Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Jenna King

AustinEducation