Open Post 2

I would like to use this time and open post to talk about an issue I have encountered during internship. I have this student, let's call him Robert, for his confidentiality, he is very sweet and smart. He is that student that I swear reads nonstop. Every time I turn around, he is asking to check out a new book and take an AR test. He's certainly a top student. 

Unfortunately, the other day, my supervising teacher received an email from his mother letting her know that his most recent book he checked out from her had been ruined by another student who "played a prank" on Robert and that they would replace the book. Obviously, my supervising teacher did not care about the book being ruined and refused to let his mother replace the book, which I agree with. We were both concerned about the "prank." We discussed it, and neither of us believe this to be a harmless prank by a friend, but rather a mean "prank" from a bully. 

All day, all I could think about was poor Robert being bullied. He would never say a mean thing to anyone. All he does is sit quietly in the back of the room, does his work, then reads. Yet, some jerk student decided to pour paint in his backpack as a joke, ruining all of his possessions and school work within the bag. I wanted to pull him aside and talk to him, but I do not feel this is my place as I barely know the students at this point. The same day I found out, a noticed a student in my class shove Robert's notebook off of his desk right in front of me. I almost lost it. All I could think to do was tell the student to never do anything like that again, lecture on bullying, and tell my supervising teacher (who was monitoring the hallway at the time). That student received a detention, but I am not sure that made the student stop.

I remember when I was in middle school, if I knew of a kid bullying someone like Robert, I would have given the bully a taste of his own medicine. I had a habit of doing such things back then, always taking the underdog's side and proving the point of what comes around, goes around. As and adult, I know better, yet those feelings come back again of wanting to help the so-called underdog, but I do not know how as an intern with no true connection to the students yet.

Has anyone else encountered this in their internships or in similar situations? I want to help Robert, but I do not know how. The teachers and administrators already know of the issue, so my first idea of letting someone know who can do something is out the window. I want this sweet kid to feel safe and like someone is standing up for him. Any ideas?