Concerns are growing among parents in the Greater Lansing area after a Facebook post in the 517 Living Community group sparked a wave of responses from families who say their children have been bullied at Waverly Middle School in Waverly, Michigan, with staff either participating in the behavior or failing to take meaningful action.
The post was written by community member Dani Kapalla, who reached out to fellow parents asking if anyone else had experienced similar problems.
“Not sure if this is allowed but if anyone has been dealing with their child being targeted by staff or being bullied by staff or other children and staff not doing anything about it at Waverly Middle School please reach out to me,” Kapalla wrote.
The response was swift. Within hours, multiple parents came forward sharing their own troubling accounts, painting a picture of a school where complaints are being brushed aside, and children are left without adequate protection.
Roberta Stanley was among the first to respond, advising Kapalla to take her concerns directly to the principal’s office and escalate to the superintendent if the response proved unsatisfactory. Stanley noted that a close friend of hers had previously served as a counselor at the school before passing away.
However, other parents were quick to point out that going to the principal had not worked for them. Heidi Pearson shared a particularly troubling account involving a seventh-grade teacher.
“I have an issue with one particular 7th grade teacher who recently told my daughter she doesn’t want another email from ‘her mom,'” Pearson wrote.
She added that she had already reached out to the principal, who promised to call her back but never followed through.
Kapalla herself confirmed that the principal had also been part of her own problem.
“One of my issues is the principal,” she wrote in the comments. “I called the superintendent and he actually listened.”
That update offered some reassurance to parents who had hit a wall at the building level, suggesting the superintendent may be a more reliable point of contact for unresolved complaints.
Community member Rubi Soto also responded, saying she would love to connect and discuss what she had experienced, with Kapalla promising to reach out.
Perhaps one of the most alarming responses came from Arica Ferris, who revealed she had already taken her daughter out of Waverly Middle School altogether.
I just pulled my daughter from Waverly Middle and put her online due to the constant bullying and stuff that keeps happening there,” Ferris wrote.
Her decision to switch to online schooling reflects how serious the situation has become for at least some families.
The problem also appears to extend beyond the middle school. Danelle Admire commented that the same thing had happened to her child at the high school level, suggesting the issue may be more widespread within the Waverly school district.
As of now, the school administration has not made any public statement addressing the community’s concerns.
Parents who are dealing with similar situations are encouraged to document all incidents in writing, follow up with the superintendent’s office directly, and, if necessary, contact the Michigan Department of Education to file a formal complaint.
The conversation in the 517 Living Community group continues to grow as more families consider speaking out.
