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Community takes stand against bullying at Bunker Hill HS

By Liz Foster
By Liz Foster

CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. — Four days after a disturbing attack on a student inside Bunker Hill High School, that a classmate recorded on cellphone video, parents, students and community members gathered to talk about how to prevent it from happening again to anyone.

They are taking a stand against bullying at Bunker Hill High School.

"When I watched (the video), I couldn't believe it,” said ninth-grader Cheyenne Clites.

Clites said she heard about the attack minutes after it happened and then saw a video on Facebook.

School officials said that bullying will not be tolerated and then outlined a four-step plan to address and prevent bullying, starting with focusing on character and getting everyone involved and staying focused on the anti-bullying plan.

Bunker Hill four-step plan of action

1.       Focus on character education

2.       Involvement by stakeholders (students, parents, teachers)

3.       Be consistent & steadfast

4.       Inspect what we expect and support the initiative

Clites is glad school leaders are making changes, but is unsure if it will work.

"It starts at home, so home life needs to change first,” Clites said. “Parents have to get that to change before things here change."

(DISTURBING VIDEO: Student repeatedly punched in face, head at Bunker Hill High School)

Dr. Matt Stover, the school superintendent, said three students involved in the attack have been suspended.

Still, parents question why staff members did not intervene the moment the attack started, and why the victim's guardian wasn't called immediately.

“We will never be perfect, but we can always work to get better,” Stover said. “It's a shame things like this have to happen."

[PREVIOUS STORY: Second video emerges of alleged bullying at Bunker Hill High School]

A local community group from Hickory, called The Guardian Angels, plans to be involved in the anti-bullying initiative and come and talk to students one on one.

"When this video came out, it affected the whole community," said Kevin Field, commander of the chapter.

The superintendent said the victim of the attack is “doing as well as he could be.”

One student, who didn't want to be named, told Channel 9 last week the attack was prompted by money.

"It was a bet. Someone bet somebody to start punching him," the student said. "They bet him $20 to go do it."

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