Motorcyclists escort Hoover High student amid bullying concerns

A group of motorcyclists escorted a Hoover High School student to and from school this week to protect her from ongoing bullying, organizer James Michael Godfrey said.

The student, a senior, is being bullied by other Hoover students, Godfrey said. The motorcycle escorts started Tuesday, he said. About 10 participated Friday morning and 30 were on hand Friday afternoon, he said.

Godfrey said he used social media to rally other motorcyclists to “stand up to bullying at Hoover High School.” The escorts will continue until the school takes action, which should include contacting the parents of students who are bullying the senior, he said.

Fresno Unified spokesman Jed Chernabaeff said “discipline is being levied” and that the school is determining if it’s a bullying issue.

“We appreciate and welcome the support of community members who promote anti-bullying. At its core, we believe the message they are trying to deliver is the same message and expectations we deliver every day: bullying will not be tolerated,” Chernabaeff said in an email statement. “However, there are other ways to positively approach students and share that message to ensure that all students feel safe and welcomed when attending school. As part of the district’s ongoing efforts to spread kindness, we encourage the group to join Hoover staff and students in spreading that news in a way that aligns with our Human Element campaign.”

Hoover High freshman Bibiana Sosa and Arik Zepeda both saw and heard a group of motorcycles driving alongside the school around 3 p.m Friday.

Sosa, 14, estimated it was around 20 or so motorcyclists.

Zepeda, 14, doesn’t believe Hoover High has a problem with bullying.

“There may be a lot of fights, but no bullying,” the student said.

This story was originally published February 19, 2016 at 4:53 PM with the headline "Motorcyclists escort Hoover High student amid bullying concerns."