Mark Nalesnik was blunt in his message to the Panther Valley School Board Thursday night:

"We have a bullying problem in this district and you need to address it."Nalesnik, the Carbon County Emergency Management Coordinator, stressed he was speaking as a parent and not in his professional capacity.He was one of about 50 people in attendance at the meeting, and one of about 10 who spoke about bullying issues.Jenn Fox of Summit Hill and her seventh-grade daughter, Kamryn Clifford also spoke to the board.Clifford said she has been a victim of bullying at her school and is in the process of organizing a "Kids Against Bullying" group, because "I don't want anyone to ever feel the way I felt."She said she felt so helpless after being bullied at school that she attempted suicide by cutting her wrist.Fox said she received no help from school officials on helping her daughter cope with the bullying.None of the school directors spoke on the matter.'Not unique'However, Rosemary Porembo, superintendent of schools, assured the parents and the board that the matter is being addressed.Regarding the matter of Clifford, she said she has compiled a report on the matter and will present it to her when they meet at the school.She agreed that bullying is a problem, but added, "Panther Valley is not unique."Porembo assured the audience members, "When you bring reports to us, I believe all the Panther Valley administration and faculty are very caring."The superintendent said there are students who are cutting themselves and some are "students that are facing depression at young ages, at very young ages."There is a lot of pressure in the world," Porembo said."I know we have been accused of not caring and not helping," she said, adding, "Panther Valley has supports in place."These range from guidance counselors and school psychologists to outside professionals."We're not turning our back," she assured.She added of bullying and cutting, "These are problems facing every school district throughout the nation."Porembo said several programs are being put in place to help students.More complaints"Yes, there is more to be done," she said, but added that budget constraints are making it difficult to provide all the services necessary.One woman told the board her child was bullied and then the teacher forced her daughter to sit with the responsible individuals during the lunch period."Children will tell someone but nothing gets done," the woman said."Bullying is bullying," she said, adding, "It's not just students bullying students. It's teachers bullying students. It's coaches bullying students."Brenda Hosler of Coaldale said her child is a bullying victim and remarked, "You people as a board need to look at the situation. It's a disgrace."Fox said her daughter was bullied for 1 1/2 years. She said she spoke with the middle school principal, coaches and athletic director, all without results.She charged that school officials never spoke with the students harassing her daughter.Clifford said, "No one would help me."She told the board, "On March 18, I couldn't take it anymore so I wrote a note saying goodbye to my friends because I was going to take my own life. My friend was worried about me and gave it to the teacher."I was told to go to the guidance counselor, and I thought maybe they would help me after all. Maybe they would finally do something."She told the board that she didn't get any help, and was sent back to class."On my way back to class, I was thinking things are never going to change; they don't care what happens to me and I was thinking about how I was going to take my life," she said.She told the board, "No one would help me and no one would help my mom help me."She said she was told to report bullying and when she did, there was no response. "That's not fair," she said."That's not fair to me or any other kid that needs help or reports bullying."