LYNCHBURG, Va. (WDBJ) – The suicide of 10-year-old Autumn Bushman continues to create conversations about bullying in our hometowns, and schools are now at the center of those discussions.
Bullying isn’t always easy to spot. It doesn’t just happen in classrooms or hallways; it can be whispered rumors, silent exclusion, or messages sent after school hours.
But one thing is clear: it’s happening, and according to Heritage High School Resource Officer Austin Rowland, many students are afraid to report it.
“We don’t hear from it as much as we’d probably like to that way, so we can take care of it. A lot of times it goes unreported until someone gets pushed to their boiling point, right—they get pushed to that point where they try to take it into their own hands,” said Rowland.
When bullying is reported, the school follows a strict process to address it. Administrators investigate every claim, whether it involves verbal harassment, physical altercations, or online threats.
“We really collaborate well with our administration team for whatever respective school it is, we work with them to get it reported, figure out who’s involved, figure out what we need to do resources wise,” said Rowland.
And the consequences can be serious. Depending on the situation, disciplinary actions can range from suspension to expulsion. In some cases, if threats or physical violence are involved, law enforcement steps in.
“If someone is getting threatening messages online based on bullying or whatever, it’s obviously illegal, right, so we take over the investigation from there,” said Rowland. “Yeah, any type of physical violence, any threat of physical violence, we take over from there and you can be charged for that kind of instance of bullying.”
Still, many incidents go unreported—sometimes until they escalate into something more serious. The school holds anti-bullying initiatives, but officer Rowland believes real change starts with open conversations—both in school and at home.
“We want these kids to come to school ready to learn; that’s why I’m here, that’s why their administrators are here, and their guidance counselor,” said Rowland. “Help us help you, right—like help us be able to look after your student while they are here so they can come to school and have the greatest experience we can give them.”
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