NERD

A 12-year-old girl and her family are moving for a second time in less than two years after people on social media posted hostile comments about her following her first day of seventh grade at Achille Public Schools.
Maddie, a transgender girl, and her family moved to Achille, in southeast Oklahoma, after a bout of bullying at her previous school district in Sherman, Texas. After Maddie used the girls' bathroom in the unfamiliar school building, the now-deleted threats came on a Facebook group for parents in the district.
One man commented that Maddie, who was not "out" as transgender, be castrated "with a good sharp knife," the New York Times reported. Another person suggested telling other children to attack Maddie. In light of the threats, Brandy Rose, Maddie's mother, is looking to move to a safer district.

Tulsa World journalism makes a difference. Be part of the story. Join us. Start a digital subscription for only 99¢.


An online fundraiser operated on Rose's behalf to fund the move had raised nearly $25,000 as of Monday morning.
"We actually moved here from Sherman hoping to have a fresh start for Maddie, because she was severely bullied there, and taunted to commit suicide, and assaulted in the bathroom," Rose states on the GoFundMe campaign page. "Unfortunately, her fresh start did not last long."
Rose said the family wants to move to Houston, where they have relatives. Moving to Houston, Rose said, would "literally be life changing." She remarked that the Texas city would have many more resources for Maddie.
The threats resulted in a two-day closure at Achille Public Schools while authorities investigated the threats. Subsequently, the Oklahoma School for the Deaf was shuttered for two days while authorities investigated a threat against the school and an employee. A relative of the employee reportedly engaged in the threats toward Maddie.
Located a few miles from the Texas border in Bryan County, Achille schools serve about 360 students, according to the state Department of Education.
Superintendent Rick Beene said he could not talk specifically about the targeted student, but told The Oklahoman the school takes the social media comments seriously.
"Achille schools and administration take the safety of every student very serious," Beene said in a prepared statement. "Private discussions held on the social media do not reflect the views of Achille school, staff, administration or school board."

In light of the social media posts, one of the parents accused in the online threats has been suspended by his employer.
Frontier Airlines suspended pilot Kevin Bickerstaff, a pilot for the airline, after his alleged involvement in the social media harassment. In a prepared statement, a Frontier spokesman said the airline "prides itself on setting an example as a respectful workplace and we do not condone discrimination." Bickerstaff was suspended Aug. 13.
"We have long-established standards of conduct, to which all employees must agree to adhere, that among other things require people to act in a professional manner and to treat each other with genuine respect and kindness," the spokesman said.
Bryan County Sheriff Johnny Christian told the New York Times that most of the commenting adults appeared to live outside the county. The sheriff said that a "small percentage" of the local community's reaction has been negative, stating he has seen much support for Maddie.
Get the Morning Read newsletter in your inbox each morning with the top stories.






Facebook

Twitter

Email

Print

Save


Staff Writer Harrison Grimwood
Harrison is an Arkansas transplant in Oklahoma who does his best to keep Tulsa World's readers up to date on breaking news from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. Phone: 918-581-8369



Follow Staff Writer Harrison Grimwood
Recommended for you
+4

Ap
Cardinal McCarrick scandal inflames debate over gay priests


Ap
Stacey Abrams' record complicates 'radical' label from GOP


Homepagelatest
Mick Cornett's campaign reports $1.3 million in contributions since primary

+2

News
Back-to-school event held at Lincoln Community School







Latest Headlines
Free forum 6:30 p.m. Wednesday: Learn how you can advocate for your child, your teacher and your school district
Mick Cornett's campaign reports $1.3 million in contributions since primary
April trial date set for Tulsa teen in death of Broken Arrow teacher, rape of elderly woman, other crimes
Federal prosecutors: Broken Arrow businesswoman embezzled $3.1 million from Inola company
New president and chief operating officer named for PSO
2018 high school football preview: Read all the stories here
Signature count comes up short for recreational marijuana petition, secretary of state says
Meet the newsroom

Steven Reckinger: Designer


Kendrick Marshall: Breaking news writer


Around The Web
'And starring John Wayne as Genghis Khan': Hollywood's mostly embarrassing history of Asian casting
Doctors couldn't quiet the loud, nonstop crunching noise in her head
Why banks are giving tellers raises instead of pink slips

Most Popular
Hundreds of teaching jobs unfilled as school starts with most Oklahoma districts saying hiring is worse than last year
Feds seek seizure of east Tulsa restaurant after meth-trafficking, money-laundering indictments
Four opioid pills killed a Pryor woman. The women who sold them are now going to prison.
Family of transgender girl leaving Oklahoma after online threats make national news
Residents stage boycott of north Tulsa beauty supply store after female customer punched in face

Get Breaking News alerts in your inbox when news breaks locally or nationally.

















Sections

News
Sports Extra
Scene
Work & Money
Special Reports
Communities
Opinion
Weekend
Photography
Obituaries
Tulsa World TV

Marketplace
Autos
Classifieds
Deals
Findit
Homes
Jobs
Browse job categories
Browse job subcategories
Legal Notices
Display Ads
Store
Advertise with us

Info
Learn about us
Contact us
Report a correction
Advertise with us
Apply to be a carrier
View job openings
Subscription Services
Terms of Use
Contractor









TulsaWorld.com, 315 S. Boulder Ave. Tulsa, OK ©2018 BH Media Group, Inc. | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | This website is intended for U.S. residents only.

Excargodog

You seriously need to learn how to CUT if you are going to cut and paste stuff.

symbian simian

And B i U....

MCDUie

It’s also wrong to put his name on blast. Until the investigation is over all of this is speculation and rumor. With the current political environment, these types of stories are often blown out of proportion. Not defending him or his actions but let the investigation take place before blasting the guys name all over the Internet.

ReserveCA

How about naming the backstabbing pilots helping out biffle by whoring the open time

MtnPeakCruiser

The news story doesn’t come close to covering the actual event, big surprise right? This guy, while brutally outspoken, is well liked for his candid personality amongst the pilot group. The boy turned girl (by gender only, not surgery) that is in question, was peeping under the stalls in the girls bathrooms after the school had made special accommodations for that individual child to use a faculty unisex bathroom.

This Captain named in the article has girls the same age as the girls affected by the peeking Tom/Tammy. But screw that guy for having an opinion that reflects concern for his own offspring, right?

Not everything is as the media wants you to believe it is.

MCDUie

Totally unrelated to this thread but I’ll bite. Me personally, I think it’s an ineffective way to handle it. Once you label these individuals (many of which may have been new and unaware of the big picture) you divide the group. At that point I’ve personally heard guys say “f it, if they are going to put me on a list, might as well put me at the top.” You aren’t correcting the behavior by attacking them publicly, in many cases you’re doing quite the opposite. A polite, informative conversation in public or by phone would be much more effective in my opinion. Feel free to disagree but the guy putting out lists is also helping Biffle by dividing the pilot group so that management can conquer it. Opinions may vary.

TiredSoul

I don’t care what a ‘pilots group’ may think of him.
He’s 58, a grown man, you’re not supposed to go on social media and harass people.
Especially not a 12 year old.
Regardless of what the story is.

http://www.kxii.com/content/news/Company-confirms-man-suspected-of-threatening-Achille-girl-suspended-491204181.html

PulledBreaker

He didn't harass anyone, he spoke in the 3rd person, in a private parent Facebook group. Did you actually read the post? Do you know the context of the comment?

ReserveCA

No very senior CAs screwing us all!