OKANOGAN COUNTY, Wash.—An anonymous, harassing note targeting a middle school student at Okanogan Middle School was under investigation Thursday.
Venice Anderson is a 6th grader at the middle school and she found the note in her notebook Wednesday morning. She said this is not the first time she has been bullied. She and her mother say it's a huge problem at her school and they want more to be done about it.
"I felt the school did nothing about it because I was sitting there all day long thinking how terrible I was and thinking I could never do anything," Venice said. "I thought I was just a worthless person I couldn't do anything."
She said the note made her feel unsafe and uncomfortable at school.
"She told me, 'You don't understand what I go through mom,' and I didn't," said her mother Shawna. "I am just grateful that my daughter knows that I love her. And that she didn't commit suicide because there's a lot of parents out there that lose their babies."
"I think bullying is one of the worst things that most kids can imagine and I hope that kids that are going through bullying today are getting better," Venice said.
Venice said she gave the note to a teacher. It was not until the next day the principal received a copy of the note.
Okanogan Middle School Principal Brett Baum said he was made aware of the note Wednesday and had since then taken serious steps to find out who wrote it.
“I talked to the girl and her mom yesterday and have also been going through writing samples to compare handwriting,” said Baum.
Baum said the school was working with the sheriff’s office to get to the bottom of the situation. He said issues like this were something the middle school had been proactive about.
Baum said in a statement sent out to the community, “The Okanogan School Districts takes student safety very seriously and as such will be working with our students not only to resolve this issue but also to continue teaching our children to work together to end all school violence and threats.”
A woman who said she was the victim's aunt posted a now-viral Facebook status about her niece's treatment and calling for a change within the district.
"My niece is a sweet sweet girl, nobody deserves that. Nobody should have to endure such bullying! Okanogan school district, you’ve had plenty of time to get it together!" she wrote. "Enough is enough!!!"