Bob Benedetti
Although an eighth-grade student was assaulted on Tuesday at South Edgecombe Middle School, it may be a community that is readying to push back. Denise and Allen Key of Macclesfield, and a mounting group of local parents, have determined that enough is enough.
An assault upon their son Daniel Key, 13, at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday while Key attempted to be seated in class, has brought the issue of bullying to the forefront.
According to the victim's father, Allen Key, his son suffered bruises to the arms, shoulders and back, resulting from an incident where a classmate moved Key's chair, then jumped atop Key and proceeded to punch and kick him numerous times.
Four of Key's football teammates intervened, followed by school counselor Tom Wooten.
Edgecombe County Public Schools Director of Community Relations Diane LeFiles confirmed that a report was filed with the Edgecombe County Sheriff's Office but was unable to provide further comment due to student confidentiality issues.
Key was taken by his parents to Farmville Pediatrics, then was referred to Pitt Memorial hospital for further examination and more extensive testing. No broken bones were found.
The incident may be tied to Key "witnessing him (the assailant) with a female's pocketbook" earlier that day and the subsequent "theft of her (the pocketbook owner's) cell phone," Key's father said.
Without regard to the assailant's motivation, Allen Key maintains that school bullying is driving kids toward other educational choices like private and home schooling. He believes citizens have a right to a safe public education. "Your child has a right to a free education... it is unfair to the students who are seeking knowledge to have to attend in fear."
A juveline petition, used to report youth incidents, was filed with the Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office, according to Sheriff James Knight. The assailant returned to his residence and is awaiting evaluation from the Juvenile Justice Center in Rocky Mount.
Key's pursuit of safe education took him to Edgecombe County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Craig Witherspoon. Even with Witherspoon's restricted ability to comment due to confidentiality statutes, Key found the district leader was "as forthright as possible. He listened well and told us what he could."
When asked if bullying exists at South Edgecombe Middle, Principal William Grady responded "You've been to middle school. There's no more (bullying) than back then."
Grady pointed out the school's Safe Club that meets once bi-weekly for about 20 minutes in the multi-purpose room. It rewards students with redeemable tokens for appropriate behavior and talks about a variety of topics including saying "no" to drugs and alcohol.
But has the middle school dynamic changed from days gone by? Chances are that few, if any, local residents will remember having constables patrol their hallways.
According to Key, "It got so bad" at West Edgecombe Middle School during 2005-06 that "the troublemakers were pushing students and teachers around. They had to put officers in there" to maintain order.
The assault to Daniel Key occurred during America's Safe Schools Week, Oct. 21-27.
Key insists that action is necessary to make schools safe, while passivity will only maintain a status quo of violence, and that he subscribes to the adage of English philosopher Edmund Burke: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
