A voracious reader, 10-year-old Jordan Blakeley was thrilled to get into the gifted program at Chester Elementary School.
“I love school! First day of school my alarm was set for six o’clock in the morning,” Jordan said.
But the Grade Five student said since then, she has been bullied right out of class and hasn’t been to school in a month.
She said one time the boy involved stuck his hands down his pants, then rubbed his hands in her hair. She also claimed she heard the same boy threaten another student.
READ MORE: 10-year-old Toronto District School Board student claims he has been bullied out of school
“By saying, ‘Shut up or I’ll whip this pencil at your face’,” Jordan said.
She said she remembers the principal being called and speaking to the class.
“He said, ‘You can’t tell the other student no. You have to tell a teacher. You may not tell the other student no,'” Jordan recounted.
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) denied that in a statement.
“The principal has not told students to, “Never say ‘no'” to any other student,” TDSB media relations and issues manager Shari Schwartz-Maltz wrote.
Jordan said she knows what she heard and her dad pointed out the principal dismissed all of her claims without talking to her.
“He’s never even spoken to my daughter about what happened,” Matt Blakeley said.
Another student in the same class said he had similar experiences.
Ten-year-old Keegan Wilson told Global News the same boy chased him with a broken rake and kids were told to hide in the stairwell.
“One of the lunch supervisors actually said ‘Stay in here for your own safety,'” Keegan said.
According to a statement from the TDSB, it didn’t happen.
“The school is not aware of any incident involving a broken rake,” Schwartz-Maltz wrote.
Jordan said she didn’t see a rake, but otherwise told the same story about being chased and being told to go inside by a lunch supervisor.
“He said, ‘Go hide in the stairwell for your safety,'” Jordan explained.
The family took their concerns to the superintendent, which the TDSB said is the right protocol.
READ MORE: 10-year-old boy speaks out about repeated bullying, parents say TDSB isn’t doing enough
“With the help of the superintendent it can be resolved at the school level,” TDSB spokesman Ryan Bird said.
He explained if parents still aren’t satisfied, they can escalate their concerns to their trustee.
The Blakeleys said they did reach out to their trustee Jennifer Story, but it took almost a month for her to respond to an email.
Jordan’s dad wants other families to take a stand against bullying.
“I would appreciate if parents would talk about their issues and situations involving these kinds of matters,” he said.
Meanwhile, Jordan just wants to get back to class.
“I just don’t feel it is a safe and caring learning environment right now like they say it should be.”
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