Bullying on agenda for APS meeting

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Albuquerque Public School district leaders are set to discuss in a meeting on Tuesday night whether or not school officials do enough to prevent kids from getting bullied in schools.

An APS mom and her third grader spoke with News 13 on Monday about the child being bullied in school, not only by students but by his teacher as well.

The 9-year-old student says school is a living nightmare and he feels the teacher thinks of him as a cockroach.

According to the family, there have also been instances of name calling and teasing that has been happening the entire school year at Los Ranchos Elementary in Albuquerque's North Valley.

The student's mother, Judy Apodaca, says the teacher also doesn't help and doesn't step in to stop the bullying. She also claims the teacher singles him out in front of the other kids.

Apodaca says she has met with the principal and teacher seven times and still nothing has been done. The most recent meeting was on Monday afternoon where she says her son's teacher made things worse with comments about the entire family's weight.

"My whole family should walk 5 miles a week and not eat after 7 and have the whole family make points on trying to lose weight," says Apodaca. "I got offended by it. I thought why are you saying that to me?"

Apodaca says come next fall, she plans on moving all three of her children to another school.

Albuquerque Public School district officials would not comment on Apodaca's claim against her son's teacher because of federal privacy rules.

A district spokesman would only say the school principal has worked with the students and parents involved to address issues.