With tears streaming down her face, 12 year-old Chatari Jones with her parents, appeared on the Today Show with Matt Lauer.
Chatari is the victim of constant taunting, teasing, harassment and bullying including having her ears twisted and open condoms thrown on her. She is a brave girl as she told her mother just a day earlier the teasing she is tolerating. She also opened up to both parents about a week prior this incident on the school bus in September.
Like most father's, James Jones couldn't take his daughter being hurt like this. He took it into his own hands as he entered the bus and went on a tirade in front of the bullies, and the innocent kids. James Jones in no way condones his actions, and almost immediately made a public apology.
He was later arrested and charged with obstruction of justice. It was only a short time after this event hit the national media buzz when a mother, Morgan Ryder, in the state of Washington created a Facebook Group, We Support James Jones, grew from only a hundred supporters to literally thousands.
James Jones told Matt Lauer he is “just an average dad protecting his daughter.” This message is clear with the number of people throughout the country supporting him. Making it clear, it wasn't right, however completely understandable the rage he felt when his daughter was being harmed.
October National Bullying Prevention Month. The National Center for Bullying Prevention has reported that 85% of children with disabilities are bullied.
STOMP Out Bullying has declared October 4th as World BLUE SHIRT DAY to create solidarity against bullying.
Florida has some bullying policies in place, but obviously it is not enough. Maybe we need to see more kids stepping up with the parents and forming Anti-Bullying Clubs like young Dalton Reynolds formed in Florida. Get caught up on your school climate today!
The Children's Movement of Florida has created The Milk Party that is working toward educating and informing communities in Florida about bullying and school violence prevention.
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