Weekend march planned in hopes to end school violence and bullying

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) – Kids and adults joined together Saturday to help end violence and bullying in schools.

Manny, who doesn’t want us to use his last name – under the circumstances – says he’s had a hard time with his peers.

“When I went to school, on the first day a lot of kids just bullied me,” he said. “When I got to the middle of the school year, it got worse.”

Luckily – things started to change for Manny.

“But I don’t like how they treated me like that every day of my life,” he said.

A change Dr. Yushonda Midgette said is vital for the health and welfare of local school kids – the reason her non-profit ‘Keeping Kids Safe in Schools, Inc.’, got started.

The march – ‘Stop the Bloodshed of our Children’ global campaign – started with prayer – and breakfast then followed by a march along Market Street in Wilmington.

Her loved one could have been killed in 2021 after a shooting incident that hit close to home.

“One of the men that were on the stairwell, or across the bridge of New Hanover High School, he is my Godson, just going through that with him and his family, we’re praying for him to get out of it,” said Midgette. “Just like a person that gets PTSD, these are the type of issues that take place when children encounter bullying and school violence.”

Something Manny’s brother Darion can relate to — when it comes to feeling on edge – he was there the same day a New Hanover high school student was shot in the leg back in August of last year.

“When the shooting happened I was a little bit traumatized from it, it was just a crazy day,” said Darion. “I don’t really want to talk about it too much, it was just a crazy day.”

His mother Tasha was a wreck when she got the phone call.

“Any parent would be devastated to hear something like that happens when it hits home,” I was relieved to find out that he was OK,” she said.

Tasha said more needs to be done to stop violence in schools – the reason she and her sons took part in Saturday’s march.

“Of course, he was in the wrong place, area at the wrong time because he was right there,” she said.

And added that both of her sons are doing much better as time goes on.

Both Darion and Manny have this advice for those who experience bullying.

“if you’re getting bullied, don’t bully someone else, don’t make them feel the way you felt,” said Darion.

“Love your enemies and pray for the ones that prosecute you,” said Manny.

Although the turnout was small – Midgette says their voices were heard throughout the community, goal is for her campaign to go global, one march at a time.

For a copy of the book ‘Love Me Don’t Hurt Me, a Stand for School Safety’ click here.