Timberlake Regional School Board(PLAISTOW, N.H.) — Fighting back tears, a fifth-grader recently pleaded with her school board to help end bullying.
At a June 7 Timberlane School Board meeting, Delanie Marcotte, who attends Pollard School in Plaistow, New Hampshire, read a letter detailing her experience, hoping district leaders would make a change.
“I have been threatened to get shot in the head with an AK-47 and buried in my backyard and many other things,” Delanie said. “I ask you, what are you going to do to protect me and my classmates against bullying?
“I am here to stand up for every kid that gets bullied.”
Delanie’s speech was met with applause by both board members and meeting attendees.
“Very proud of you for coming,” said a female board member, in footage the district posted.
Todd Marcotte, Delanie’s father, shared the video on Facebook writing, “This took courage.”
Marcotte’s post received about 58,000 views and thousands of shares and comments, with some users adding the hashtag #standwithdelanie.
He hasn’t yet responded to ABC News’ request for a comment, but Amy Marcotte, Delanie’s mother, released a statement to ABC-affiliated television station WMUR-TV in Manchester, New Hampshire, that read, in part: “Quite frankly, she is doing something that I would have never had the guts to do, being bullied myself in high school. We stand by her 100 percent and will do whatever it takes to protect our child.”
Dr. Earl F. Metzler, superintendent of the Timberlane Regional School District, told ABC News that he supports “student voice.”
“We will continue to encourage all students to speak up when they see, hear or experience something that makes them uncomfortable,” Metzler wrote in a statement. “The same holds true for parents and community members. There are many vehicles at Timberlane to share your concerns including, but not limited to, the public comment portion of our School Board agenda. We take all of our stakeholders’ concerns seriously and will give her concerns our undivided attention.”
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