ATKINS, Ark – Two parents in Atkins say their daughter has been bullied consistently at school for years and feel the school district isn’t doing anything to stop it.
14-year-old Rosie Smith is now a freshman at Atkins High School. She says she has been bullied by a group of students in the district for the past three years.
“I don’t want to be there, I just want to be home, where I feel safe,” said Smith.
Smith says the bullying started with a few rumors and name-calling. Last week, the teenager said a group of students poured milk on her in the hallway.
She says bullying happens every day.
“It’s threatening me in person, threatening to kill me and fight me,” said Smith.
Rosie’s mother, Jennifer Hamman says she recently found out about the bullying and reached out to the school months ago to try and get it to stop.
“I cried, all of us did,” said Hamman. “They’re not putting a stop to it. I don’t think they’re putting a stop to it at all.”
Our station reached out to the school district who said they couldn’t release any information into the disciplinary actions taken.
The district superintendent did release this statement to us:
“Atkins School District takes all claims of bullying seriously and follows the district policy when they arise including conducting a thorough investigation into each matter. Our priority is always the safety of our students, and our desire is to respond in the best interest of the child while maintaining confidentiality regarding student matters. ” – Atkins School District Superintendent Dr. Lori Edgin
Back in the Hamman house, they say the bullying has gone too far.
“It just gets me into these dark feelings, and I just don’t like it and I want to end it, but I know these things are happening to other people,” said Smith.
Rosie says the only thing that keeps her going is the anticipation of college, hoping the hallways will feel a bit more like home.
The Hammans say they are hoping the district will take additional disciplinary action, putting a stop to the bullying for good.
