Brenda is 12. Her mother chose to protect her identity, knowing some students might recognize her story. “I have to protect my child; if we don’t, no one will,” she says. “Every time Brenda came home from school in tears, with her dad, we were desperate.”
Despite their efforts to speak with the school principal, Brenda’s parents were heard… but not really listened to. “As soon as the door closed behind him, he did nothing to protect our child,” explains her mom.
Brenda had everything to be happy. The family had just moved to a new city in Georgia to give their children a fresh start. Brenda, her younger brother, and her parents left their old town full of hope. Everything went well until the start of 7th grade. Brenda made friends with another girl, also ostracized. Then the teasing, verbal attacks, and even physical harassment began…
Desperate, Brenda didn’t know who to turn to. One day, she confided everything to her mother, who was devastated by what her daughter was experiencing. Together with her husband, they went to see the principal, who remained indifferent. The decision was made: Brenda would leave public school for a private school.
Today, Brenda is happy. She has made new friends and is thriving. She stayed in touch with her former outcast classmate, who became her best friend. “When I grow up, I want to become a school social worker to defend kids who are bullied or attacked,” Brenda tells Toombow Kids.
The numbers are alarming: about 1 in 5 students in the U.S. reports being bullied at school. Each year, over 3,000 children report serious physical or psychological assaults. Brenda’s story shows how quick and caring parental action can change a child’s life.
Toombow Kids reminds everyone that every child deserves to be heard, protected, and supported. School bullying is not just a “small bump”; it is a serious problem that can leave lasting scars if no one acts.
Brenda, 12: “Someone Had to Listen to Us” The Heartbreaking Story of a Young Bullying Victim
