School Bullying Council

IT’s funny sometimes how recent events seem to have happened long ago. In June, as the previous school year was ending across the United States, attention was drawn to an ugly incident in Rochester, N.Y., in which a group of middle school students unmercifully bullied an elderly bus monitor.

The disgusting behavior was captured on video by a student who thought it would be cool to post the images on his Facebook page. Within hours, the video went viral on the Internet, and millions of viewers from around the world eventually saw the reprehensible behavior for themselves. The mainstream media reported the incident, which led to the one-year suspension of the students involved. The victim reaped hundreds of thousands of dollars from sympathetic, supportive people she didn’t even know.

The entire episode became the quintessential poster story for the epidemic of bullying. Hundreds of teens posted their reactions of outrage online, proof that perhaps for the first time on a mass scale the seemingly taboo subject of bullying finally was getting the attention and understanding it deserves.

If you missed this event and are the least bit Internet savvy, you can view video of 68-yearold bus monitor Karen Klein being bullied. Go to youtube.com and search for ‘kids bully bus monitor.’ You will be horrified at the behavior of several teenage punks who physically touched, cursed and harassed the woman who had worked for the school district for years simply to help ensure the safety of children who ride the bus.

So here we are. It’s August, and school starts back in Gulf Breeze and Santa Rosa County in the next few days. Our children will return to school in search of an education, and some – probably more than we realize – will be exposed to the bullying behavior of a few fellow students who have little regard for other people’s feelings.

There will be posters on the doors and walls informing students how to report and deal with bullying. Teachers and administrators will do their best to remind students how distasteful it is to bully another person, but for some kids this will fall on deaf ears.

Parents and guardians, I ask you – no, I implore you – to sit down with your children in a quiet environment and frankly talk about bullying. Many kids are too scared to admit a problem, and it’s important that our children know that there are ways to combat the problem without repeatedly being abused, chastised or ostracized.

Students, particularly those of you in leadership positions, I urge you to stand up and demonstrate empathy to fellow students who might be victims of bullying. Show your peers who might not have the fanciest designer clothes or the latest hairstyle that they, too, belong and are important. Be a friend; don’t be a hater.

There is a movie titled ‘Bully’ that you can find online. It’s a frank, honest, noholds barred look at bullying and the ramifications including, in the worst of cases, suicide among students unable or unwilling to cope with abuse. I warn you that the movie is graphic and contains profanity and uncomfortable situations. Don’t watch it if that would offend you. (But trust me, a sizable percentage of middleand high-school students hear and experience similar behavior on a regular basis. It’s nothing they haven’t been exposed to in one form or another.)

Church leaders, I ask that the subject of bullying be discussed openly with your congregations and in your youth Sunday school classes. Civic clubs and social organizations should join the conversation. Teachers, require your students to read this column and have them write short essays on their opinions of bullying. Get them talking openly about it. In short, let’s all be proactive and do everything possible to make the 2012-2013 school year devoid of bullying. If our children learn nothing else, it will be a successful year.

http://www.gulfbreezenews.com/news/2012-08-16/Front_Page/June_bullying_incident_remains_teachable_moment.html

Tue Aug 7, 2012 5:06am EDT

* Fine of R449 mln vs R3.5 bln originally sought

* Regulator says Telkom impeded competition

(Recasts, adds analyst comment)

JOHANNESBURG Aug 7 (Reuters) – South Africa on Tuesday
slapped fixed-line operator Telkom with a
lighter-than-expected fine of 449 million rand ($55 million) for
using its dominant market position to “bully” potential
competitors.

The result is likely to be seen as a victory for Telkom.
South Africa’s competition watchdog, which first lodged the
complaint in 2004, originally sought a fine of 3.5 billion rand,
which the struggling company has said would be “catastrophic”
and jeopardise its business.

The Competition Tribunal, which rules on anti-trust
complaints, said Telkom exploited its position as South Africa’s
dominant player in telecoms to block competition from other
network service providers.

“Telkom impeded the growth of its competitors and retarded
innovation in the market place,” the Tribunal said, adding that
“Telkom bullied its downstream competitors into line”.

Shares of Telkom, which were down more than 3 percent before
the release of the judgement, pared losses after and were down
1.1 percent at 17.85 rand at 0843 GMT.

“Telkom had to be fined something to make it politically
equitable and for the Competition Tribunal not to be seen as
unfair,” said Dobek Pater, a telecoms analyst at consultancy
Africa Analysis.

“It’s probably an optimal way out for all parties.”

Stung by declining fixed-line usage and an expensive, failed
attempt at expansion into Nigeria, Telkom has been struggling to
craft a convincing turnaround plan.

South Korea’s KT Corp last year offered to buy
20 percent of Telkom in a deal that was eventually scuppered by
South Africa’s government after KT cut back its offer price.

The government has also said companies trying to maximise
profits could overlook the millions of poor lacking services.
Rolling out broadband services is one of the ruling African
National Congress’ stated goals.

The government is currently debating making Telkom a fully
state-owned company once again.

South Africa’s government currently owns just under 40
percent of Telkom, while the state-run Public Investment
Corporation holds just short of 11 percent.

(Reporting by Helen Nyambura-Mwaura and Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
writing by David Dolan; Editing by Ed Stoddard)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/07/safrica-telkom-idUSL6E8J746X20120807

Brandon DeMarco is an average teenager in an ordinary High School that becomes the target of relentless harassment and vindictive cyberbullying. His story’s been seen by thousands of students all over the globe.

(more…)

Your school administration

The first bullying resource for parents is their child’s school. Whether your child is a victim of bullying or is the bully himself (or you are just concerned about intimidation at the school), you should reach out to your school teachers, counselor and principal for help. If you don’t get satisfactory results or assistance, don’t hesitate to go up the chain of command to the superintendent and ultimately the state Department of Education.

StopBullying.gov

The government website, StopBullying.gov, can be a helpful resource to learn about bullying policies and laws. 49 states have passed anti-bullying laws. The website also includes tips on preventing bullying, responding to bullying and talking about bullying.

Read about when girls bully

No Kidding About Bullying (Book with CD-ROM)

Based on a nationwide survey of more than 2,000 students and their teachers, No Kidding About Bullying: 125 Ready-to-Use Activities to Help Kids Manage Anger, Resolve Conflicts, Build Empathy, and Get Along (Amazon, $26) provides educators, parents and youth leaders with a wide assortment of activities that can be used to help children to resolve their conflicts without resorting to anger or violence. Geared toward grades three to six, this book and CD-ROM features games, role plays, group discussions, art projects and language arts exercises. The lessons affirm the importance of respect and kind actions.

The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander (Paperback)

This international best-seller is a favorite among parents and teachers. The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander: From Preschool to High School — How Parents and Teachers Can Help Break the Cycle of Violence (Barnes Noble, $12) talks about topics from conflict resolution to the three kinds of bullying. This practical, compassionate book is aimed at helping the triad of bullying — the bully, the bullied and the bystander.

Read about bullying in schools

Stop Bullying: Standing Up for Yourself and Others (DVD)

This 20 minute DVD is short, but it provides very good information for kids. Featuring nationally acclaimed and Emmy-nominated youth speaker Mark Brown, Stop Bullying: Standing Up for Yourself and Others (Amazon, $40) uses personal experience to help provide students with concrete steps they can take to respond to bullying. It talks about the importance of respect and tolerance. This DVD is appropriate for junior high school and up.

Stand Up To Bullying (DVD)

This bullying DVD is essential for your little ones. Perfect for parents to watch with children ages 4 and up, Stand Up To Bullying (Amazon, $13) features Lucky Kat and Daren the Lion to address the topic of bullying. It talks about the different types of bullying and teaches children the best ways to respond.

The Bully Project

Another vital bullying resource for parents is The Bully Project. The Bully Project is highlighted by a documentary film, Bully, about bullying in our schools. Directed by Lee Hirsch, the film follows the lives of five students in Georgia, Iowa, Texas, Mississippi and Oklahoma who face bullying on a daily basis. The Bully Project is more than just a film — it’s a call to action and a tool to raise awareness about bullying. On The Bully Project website, you can find out more about the film and its stories, as well as tips and suggestions for parents, students, educators and advocates. Kids can share their own bully stories by posting stories, uploading photos or recording videos. You can also find out about new initiatives in school, communities and online. Watch the trailer below to learn more about the film. Bully releases in theaters March 30.

More about bullying

How a bully can change your life
Is your child being bullied at school?
Protecting kids from cyber bullying

Former employees of a Springfield Gardens middle school are heading to court after their principal allegedly bullied them out of their jobs.

A teacher and an assistant principal claim they were harassed and forced out of Intermediate School 59 by Principal Carleton Gordon. A Queens Supreme Court judge is to hear the first of two separate cases on April 6.

Gordon denied the allegations.

But former IS 59 Assistant Principal Edward Moore said he was “disappointed with the system.”

“I’m in court right now because I’m looking for a reason why I was fired,” said Moore, who is suing the city to get his position back.

He said Gordon yelled at him and teachers in front of students.

Moore’s relationship with Gordon became toxic after he confronted the principal for allegedly dragging a female student down a stairwell in 2009, said Moore, who was fired in 2010.

Ex-science teacher Wylia Slade said Gordon soured on her after she was nominated to be IS 59’s teacher union rep.

“It was all open season on me,” said Slade, who is suing Gordon and the city. “He told me he didn’t want me working in his building.”

Slade said she was forced out of IS 59 in 2008. But she said a bogus letter of resignation wound up in her file — which prevented her from finding a new job in a city school.

After she left, Gordon refused to let her incoming seventh-grade child return to the school, Slade said.

“Mr. Gordon should not be allowed to run anybody’s school,” she said. “The kids are the ones who are suffering right now.”

Gordon emphatically denied the allegations — including dragging a student down a stairwell.

“I don’t harass teachers. I ask teachers to do what they’re supposed to do — and that is to teach kids,” Gordon told the Daily News on Friday. “I treat teachers with respect and dignity.”

But two current IS 59 employees, who asked to stay anonymous citing fears of retribution, said that wasn’t the case.

They claim Gordon routinely harasses and bullies teachers, students run wild and the school doesn’t have a functional library or computer program.

They also said an IS 59 student recently shot an Eagle Academy student with a BB gun. The academy shares a building with IS 59.

The city Office of the Special Commissioner of Investigation concluded Gordon had improperly awarded overtime, known as per-session hours, to one teacher instead of posting the openings.

The city Department of Education placed a letter of reprimand into Gordon’s file, agency spokeswoman Marge Feinberg said.

ctrapasso@nydailynews.com

If our children behaved privately like our politicians behave publicly, I would imagine many would run the risk of violating school district policies against bullying. Bullying is all about exerting power or influence at the expense of another. This is exactly what we see every day in the unfettered bickering of politicians.

One might argue that political candidates share information about their opponents as a civic duty, so that the voting public can make informed choices.

If it were only a matter of sharing factual public information, then why would fact-check organizations be needed to determine who is telling the truth, partial truths or “pants on fire” tales? These political strategies are not much different from the social media character assassinations conducted by teens who want to beat down their opponents.

Bullying should be connected to the behavior of people we elect to public office. I am waiting for stricter anti-bullying legislation to go into effect, and for a noble lawyer to charge a high-profile politician and his or her election campaign team under these new laws.

USATODAY OPINION

Letters to the editor

USA TODAY receives about 300 letters each day. Most arrive via e-mail, but we also receive submissions by postal mail and fax. We publish about 35 letters each week.

We often select comments that respond directly to USA TODAY articles or opinion pieces. Letters that are concise and make one or two good points have the best chance of being selected, as do letters that reflect the vibrant debate around the nation on a particular subject.

We aim to make the letters platform a place where readers, not just writers representing institutions or interest groups, have their say.

• How to submit letters

Rick Varner; Catonsville, Md.

Parents are responsible for kids

With all the headlines about how to solve the bullying problem, I would like to suggest a solution. Let’s assign responsibility where it belongs: the parents!

Poor parenting is often the root cause of bullying. Until the bully turns 18, let the parent share the legal responsibility. This would be a sure way to focus the attention where it is most needed.

Knowing that they will eventually be held responsible for the behavior of their children might motivate parents to do a better job in raising more tolerant children.

David M. Lipkin; Pittsburgh

Embrace respectful debate

The lack of civility in public discourse in the United States is increasing the polarization of its leaders and people. We are failing as a country to listen with respect, understand others’ views, analyze and formulate constructive responses.

Sharp opinions and propaganda are not new in political rhetoric. However, today the methods to spread and promote divisive dialog have increased tremendously through media such as Facebook, Twitter, TV, radio and YouTube.

Many politicians are so concerned about promoting their own agendas that they feel a need to vilify and belittle their opposition, creating animosity on both sides of the debate. There may come a time when this country and its leaders will need to pull together rapidly and decisively, but they’ll fail because of the crippling foundation of resentment that has been laid through an enduring lack of civility.

I call for a conscientious effort on the part of all politicians, pundits and the general public to embrace the fundamentals of respectful debate, promote civility and preserve amicable working relationships. They should agree to disagree when necessary, so that we can work together to solve the major issues of our day.

Paul Hauwiller; Arcanum, Ohio

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/letters/story/2012-03-22/bullying-politics-schools/53712832/1

Five bullied students from Minnesota who won their challenge against the Anoka-Hennepin School District have a special message: It DOES Get Better.

Earlier this month, an agreement was reached to resolve two federal gender and sexual orientation harassment lawsuits brought against Anoka-Hennepin by six students. The agreement includes significant new protections designed to prevent harassment of students who are or perceived to be LGBT and gender non-conforming, as well as those who have friends or parents who are LGBT.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, which sued on behalf of students, reports that under the decree, the students will receive a total of $270,000 in damages.

The district’s 18-year-old gag policy on sexual orientation was replaced last month with a policy designed to generate “a respectful learning environment in which teachers facilitate student discussions of contentious topics in a balanced and impartial manner.”

The District has faced national scrutiny because of a wave of teen suicides in the area, many of them at least partly related to bullying.

The Trevor Project, a leading charity on bullying of LGBT students, has described the successful lawsuit as “a historic paradigm shift” that will “create a blueprint for school safety that can be implemented nationwide.”

One of the students in the ‘It Gets Better’ video, Kyle Rooker, who had been called ‘fag’, slapped and urinated on, told local news:

“Basically, they ripped my heart out….I didn’t feel like someone with passion. Now I’ve stolen it back.”

The remaining plaintiff student, Ebonie Richardson, made a separate video.

Watch ‘MN’s Anoka-Hennepin Student Plaintiffs: It Gets Better’:

Related stories:

Student Who Challenged School’s Gay Gag Rule Speaks Out (VIDEO)

Anoka-Hennepin Settles LGBT Bullying Lawsuit, Still Denies Wrongdoing

Sixth Bullied Student Sues Minnesota School District

http://www.care2.com/causes/minnesota-students-prove-that-it-gets-better.html

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), the Democratic National Committee’s chairwoman, released an “It Gets Better” video on Thursday in support of bullied young people.

“For anyone who is going through a tough time, for anyone who has been bullied or feels alone or different, it gets better,” the congresswoman says in the video. “Sometimes, it’s hard to see that what we’re going through won’t last forever. When we’re in a tough spot, it’s hard to imagine that there will ever be a time when it doesn’t feel like the world is crashing in on us.”

She continues, “But things will always get better. They always do.”

The “It Gets Better” project was started in response to a rash of suicides by teens who were bullied by their peers for being gay. Since launching in September 2010, the project has attracted a number of big names, including President Obama, Stephen Colbert and Justin Bieber.

Wasserman Schultz, a vocal advocate for LGBT rights and a supporter of same-sex marriage, also shares a story of her personal experience with bullying.

“When I was in school, I was teased mercilessly, all the time, about my curly hair,” she says. “But now my hair is my signature look, and I wouldn’t change it for anyone, because it’s part of what makes me who I am.”

Also on HuffPost:

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/15/debbie-wasserman-schultz-it-gets-better_n_1348312.html

What constitutes “bullying?”

That question is generating increasingly intense discussions in newsrooms, living rooms and school rooms. Unfortunately, with respect to schools, anti-bullying sentiments are showing the hallmarks of leading us down a path we should not go in terms of trying to control what students are allowed to say or think.

An example of the conversation about bullying is found in a Feb. 24 News Sentinel story concerning a panel discussion about legislation in the Tennessee General Assembly. The story was headlined “Panel discusses fears of proposed ‘license to bully’ bill.”

Notwithstanding the headline, that’s not the name of the bill. That’s what it’s called by its opponents. The body of the story identifies it as the “so-called ‘license to bully’ bill.”

Here is the section of the legislation that seems to be causing concern among those who feel it is a license to bully: “Creating a hostile educational environment shall not be construed to include discomfort and unpleasantness that can accompany the expression of a viewpoint or belief that is unpopular.”

What follows is a portion of the Feb. 24 story. The individual being quoted is identified as Ben Byers, Knoxville committee chair for the Tennessee Equality Project, a “statewide organization that supports and lobbies for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.”

“Byers said the bill protects students who bully without the act or threat of physical violence based on religious, philosophical and political rights.

“It is this type of nonphysical bullying which he believes to be most prevalent and potentially harmful to students of varying backgrounds, he said.

“And obviously that opens the door not only for LGBT issues but it also opens it up for Jewish issues, for Catholic issues, for Muslim issues. … This is obviously something we have a lot of concern about,’ he said.”

Another panel member was University of Tennessee law professor Michael Higdon. Here is how the story depicted his position: “Higdon, who teaches and writes on sexuality and gender within the law, compared the current harassment of LGBT students to the racial lynchings of the past when considering recent youth suicides in which bullying allegedly was involved.”

It appears from the story that the principal concern of these panelists is about comments in schools that a homosexual would find troubling. However, other groups were mentioned as well. The skeptic might believe it’s only to keep it from being solely homosexual-directed, thus broadening the potential audience. The more accepting listener might view inclusion of other groups as being done for pure motives.

The question is what constitutes bullying and how can school officials to become arbiters of the thoughtcrime perpetrated by students expressing an opinion that someone else doesn’t like? If bullying is considered anything that makes someone else “uncomfortable,” well, you might as well close the schools, for this reason: life is uncomfortable.

If the objective is indeed to stamp out expressions by students that other students might not like, it’s telling students they’re only allowed to say what the administration allows them to say. That’s sure to affect class discussions as well as lunchroom conversations and certainly doesn’t promote critical thinking.

The First Amendment ought to be at least considered in here somewhere.

Is the following statement non-physical bullying? “I don’t agree with homosexuality as a lifestyle; I think it’s morally wrong.”

How about this: “I don’t like liberals; they’re ruining the country and if you’re a liberal, you’re a jerk.”

This one set you off? “Conservatives are heartless and if you your parents are conservatives I hope you’re all proud of helping to starve old people to death.”

Let’s not forget religion: “I’d like to see our military kill all radical Muslim terrorists because they’re trying to kill Americans,” or, “I hate Christians because they’re trying to ram their beliefs down my throat.”

Any of those statements might make someone uncomfortable. It does not follow that the student making the statement must be assigned to re-education camp to get his or her mind right. They are opinions, and opinions can make a person uncomfortable whenever the hearer disagrees with the speaker.

What do we want, schools full of informers rushing to administrators to report every utterance by other students that runs afoul of the “I can’t be made to feel uncomfortable” rule?

True bullying is a serious thing. A couple of locals made my life miserable for about a week when I briefly attended a Michigan junior high school in the seventh grade. I was a humiliated, scared-silly kid. New in school. Not big. All by myself.

One day they started to harass me in the cafeteria. Having had enough, I stood up and shoved one of them, drew back my fist and said, “OK, right here, right now.”

His friend moved toward me. He was overweight and in that pre-politically correct era I pointed at him and said, “Hold on, fatty. You’re turn’s coming.”

I turned back to the first kid. He suggested we settle it after school. I told him to drop dead and took a step toward him. We stared at each other for a moment, and the two of them walked away. After that, they left me alone.

They were bullies. Staring them down made me feel good. But of course there’s much worse, when kids are endlessly tormented, threatened or physically harmed. That’s not something children should endure.

But we can’t classify thoughts we don’t like as thoughts that aren’t allowed to be expressed. We can’t tell students that disagreeing with another person on the issues of politics, religion or lifestyle is tantamount to bullying.

A quote attributed to Voltaire covers this subject: “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

Yes, what a wonderful world it would be if everyone lived by the New Testament teachings of Christ in Matthew 7:12: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

I hope that reference to Christ doesn’t make you uncomfortable. But if it did, well, as they say, it’s a free country.

George Korda is political analyst for WATE-TV, appearing weekly on “Tennessee This Week” at noon on Sundays. He hosts “State Your Case,” which airs Sundays from noon – 2 p.m. on WNOX-FM, 100.3. He is president of Korda Communications, a public relations and communications consulting firm.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/feb/27/george-korda-how-are-we-going-define-bullying/

POSTED: 11:50 am EST February 24, 2012UPDATED: 8:50 pm EST February 24, 2012(CNN) — A former Rutgers University student went on trial Friday in New Jersey on hate crimes charges and other counts for allegedly using a webcam to spy on his roommate’s sexual encounter with another man.

The roommate, Tyler Clementi, committed suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge just days after Dharun Ravi allegedly streamed the encounter remotely and allowed others to view it.

“That viewing lasted, depending upon who you want to listen to, two to five seconds,” said defense attorney Steven Altman. “The back of two people from the corner of the room, embracing. … That was it.”

Ravi, 19, faces a 15-count indictment in connection with Clementi’s 2010 death that includes charges of invasion of privacy, bias intimidation, tampering with physical evidence, witness tampering, and hindering apprehension or prosecution.

The jury will be confronted with the question of whether Ravi’s alleged bullying was borne of a gay prejudice that prompted him to intimidate Clementi because of his sexual orientation.

“These acts were purposeful, they were intentional, and they were planned,” prosecutor Julia L. McClure told the jury on the first day of the trial.

The highly anticipated case drew more than 100 people inside the courtroom.

Last year, Ravi turned down a plea deal that would have allowed him to avoid jail time.

The deal offered by Middlesex County prosecutors would have required the former student to undergo 600 hours of community service, counseling and to dispose of any information that could identify the man that appeared in the web video with Clementi.

Prosecutors also offered to help Ravi avoid deportation, though they said they could not guarantee it. Ravi is a citizen of India who had been studying on a visa at the New Jersey university.

A second student charged in the scandal, Molly Wei, 19, reached a plea deal that requires her to testify against Ravi.

If convicted, Ravi could face up to 10 years behind bars.

On Friday, Wei’s roommate Cassandra Cicco testified about the alleged video stream.

“I could only really see one of them and his back was to the camera and he appeared to be shirtless,” she said. “Someone pressed end on the feed. It ended abruptly and we were all just like — oh, OK, that happened. And that was the end of it.”

Less than a month after Clementi’s suicide, President Barack Obama released a taped video message condemning bullying.

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Poll finds social networks the place where Australian kids are most likely to be bullied online. Picture: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images

AUSTRALIA rates number one in the world for bullying on social networks like Facebook, according to a global poll.

While Australia ranked fifth for cyber-bullying overall, nine out of ten parents said when the harassment occurred it was on these types of sites – much higher than the global average of six in 10.

The Ipsos Social Research Institute survey of 24 countries ranked Australia worse for bullying than all of the European countries, along with the US, Britain and China.

The four countries ranking higher than us, in order, were India, Indonesia, Sweden and Canada.

The research comes just a week after Victorian schoolgirl Sheniz Erkan took her own life after being tormented by Facebook bullies.

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Ispsos director Ryan Williams said the goal was to find out how prevalent cyber-bullying was and to find out where it was taking place.

“According to parents, Australian children were less likely to experience bullying in an online chat room, via email, or on their mobile phone, compared to global averages – but were more likely than any other nation to experience bullying via social networking sites, such as Facebook,” Mr Williams said.

Australia ranked 15th for mobile devices, 22nd for online chat, 17th for emails, 20th for instant messages, 21st for general websites and 18th for other forms of technology.

No Australian parent reported bullying was a persistent issue with their children.

Kids Helpline manager of strategy and research John Dalgleish said the rise of cyber bullying was a massive concern as it took it harassment from the playground directly into victim’s bedrooms.

Mr Dalgleish said the rise of social networking sites meant bullying was no longer limited to the classroom and teenagers faced further exposure to harassment thanks to the rise of social networking sites such as Facebook.

“Cyber bullying has a profound impact as it widens the audience (from school) and means it can be seen by anyone,” he said.

“It can be used as an extension of face-to-face bullying and takes it from the classroom and into a child’s own bedroom undermining their sense of safety and security.”

KidsHelpline, which offers hundreds of counselling services to bullying victims a year, urged young people affected by the harassment to come forward and speak out.

Mr Dalgleish said victims should tell a trusted adult or parent who can take action on their behalf, and in extreme cases take it to the police.

He added previous studies on the long-term effects of bullying had showed positive outcomes and an end to the behaviour after victims had told someone about it.

“The first thing victims need to know is it’s not their fault,” he said.

“Action can be taken and it can be stopped.”

Bullying can result in chronic anxiety, depression, fear, anxiety, withdrawal from school and in the worst cases, self-harm.

Parents are urged to monitor their children’s social networking use and speak to them about appropriate behaviour on the internet.

Anyone experiencing bullying or harassment is urged to visit KidsHelpline.

http://www.news.com.au/technology/anti-social-network-australia-the-facebook-bullying-capital/story-e6frfro0-1226246496953

<!–enpproperty http://www.china.org.cn/world/2011-10/31/content_23772800.htmwww.china.org.cnThe officials of the Obama administration met with hundreds of local parents, teachers, students and community leaders at a bullying prevention summit Saturday to address the safety of Asian American, Pacific Islander and Muslim American students.2011-10-31 11:25:10.0White House battles bullying at UES summitAmerican,US,Asian,students,Muslim,bullyingWhite House battles bullying at UES summitWhite House battles bullying at UES summit10077075229Top News/enpproperty–>

The officials of the Obama administration met with hundreds of local parents, teachers, students and community leaders at a bullying prevention summit Saturday to address the safety of Asian American, Pacific Islander and Muslim American students.

Racial bullying [Photo: Hispanically Speaking News] 

These students are more likely to be targets of bullying than some of their counterparts, the DNAinfo.com reported.

White House officials said that nearly one-third of all school-aged children are bullied each year, or about 13 million students.

“Post 9/11, bias-based bullying toward religious and immigrant communities has been a consistent issue, and it continues to be under reported,” Thomas Mariadason, an attorney at the Manhattan-based Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, said in a statement.

The day-long summit included a panel with representatives from Facebook, MTV and Common Sense Media, who discussed online bullying and how to stay safe on the Internet.

“We’ve seen the egregious effects bias-based harassment has on students when there is a failure to intervene, from the violence at South Philadelphia High School in 2009 to reports we received in years past from the former Lafayette High School in Brooklyn,” Mariadason said.

“The problem persists, and it is a critical time for the White House to address these issues” he said.

The event aims to raise awareness about harassment of Asian and Muslim Americans, encourage students, parents and advocates to report such incidents and discuss possible solutions, according to federal officials.

The city’s teachers union recently unveiled a new anti-bullying hotline for kids.

http://www.china.org.cn/world/2011-10/31/content_23772800.htm

Editor’s note: Julie Hertzog is the director of PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center.

(CNN) — Tragic stories of young people committing suicide after being tormented by bullies have been widely publicized. So you’d imagine that most people would know how seriously bullying hurts people. Unfortunately, this is not always true.

Case in point: A middle-school athlete I know was being bullied by her teammates. The verbal abuse began on the volleyball court and then moved to the rest of the school. Soon, the girl’s teammates were pulling down her shorts in front of others to embarrass and ridicule her.

But she did the right thing: Knowing that she didn’t have to handle the situation alone, she told her parents. And her parents did the right thing: They alerted school personnel in an attempt to keep their daughter safe. Unfortunately, those who could have kept her safe told the parents that their daughter’s experiences were just typical middle-school behavior — the usual “teenage stuff” — and that nothing could or would be done.

Never mind that this seventh-grader is now nervous about attending school and her self-esteem has plummeted. Never mind that she wants to quit the volleyball team. The acceptance of bullying as a “rite of passage” failed her. She did not get the help she needed, and the parents are considering a new school for their daughter.

In this case, it was the school that refused to act, but sometimes students who are bullied have a difficult time finding anyone at all who will help. It is time for a cultural shift away from silence and acceptance and the excuse that “kids will be kids” and nothing can be done.

We need to understand we can and need to do something about bullying. The “we” in that statement is imperative. There is power in community.

Imagine a community in which students who witness bullying are encouraged to intervene. More than 55% of bullying behaviors stop in less than 10 seconds when a peer steps in. That’s why it’s important that schools and parents stress to children that by befriending a kid who is bullied, or by asking an adult for help, they can change — and even save — lives.

Imagine a community where students know that it is not their fault if they are bullied, they can feel free to talk about it and can expect to be helped.

Community members can join forces and make use of educational resources such as those at PACER.org/bullying, TeensAgainstBullying.org and KidsAgainstBullying.org. It won’t come from schools alone, parents alone or students alone, but from the entire community working in unity.

The opinions in this commentary are solely those of Julie Hertzog.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/14/opinion/hertzog-bullying/

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I just got a call from someone regarding an anonymous bullying reporting outlet for kids/teens. I’ll check it out and let you know. If it looks good, I’ll be promoting it.

But …

Did you know, that even if there’s an anonymous way of reporting bullying, dangerous bullies can often still find out who the “rat” is and target them. How do they do this? By elimination.

Once bullies have been caught out by someone in authority and they know they can’t manipulate their way around it, they’ll take their punishment and the authority figure/s will assume that’s the end of that. They’ll still be keeping an eye on the situation, but they often believe that once caught, the problem is gone.

But, for serious/dangerous bullies, that’s not the case. They’ll just get sneakier and better at covering their tracks. Revenge is now their driving force and they’ll start eliminating suspects. Most kids/teens will talk when threatened and the one who reported the bullying has often confided in someone, making them more at risk of being caught.

Serious bullies do not deal well with accountability. He/she blames the victim and rat(s) for having been punished. That self-centered mindset is what enables them to bully in the first place with little or no guilt.

Once caught, the “rat” will be exposed and suffer bullying based on not just insecurities (as most bullying is), but bullying based on anger and revenge, which is usually even worse than the initial bullying that was reported.

Why am I writing such a dire article? Just as a warning that if you have a son/daughter who is going to report a dangerous bully, make darn sure they don’t tell their friends, making them potential targets that could crack under pressure from the bully.

This is one of the toughest subjects I teach as each case is so individual. When I coach teens about how to proceed to tell on a bully, they’re often in tears and terrified. I have even suggested to some that they don’t tell as I worry about their welfare. Then I can’t even go to the principal or police as it could potentially leave a trail leading back to them as often only a few individuals even know about a bullying incident.

I never recommend bystanders tell if it’s going to potentially risk their safety. But, if I can get a large group of kids to tell together, then I certainly recommend that as there is power in numbers. That has to be done out in the open or else there are still going to be targets singled out.

I know all this as I worked with bullies, I know how they operate. I could stop the cycle as I was dealing with the bully … that’s easy. It’s dealing with the victims that’s difficult as you can only stop a problem at the source: the bully.

Lisa Bunnage

http://www.blogher.com/bullying-cant-always-be-reported?wrap=blogher-topics/family/big-kids-510&crumb=32403

Bullying – Cyber Bullying, school bullying, etc. This video was necessary after yesterday’s news article about a 3rd grader bringing a gun to school to protect himself from a bully. 3rd Grader Brings Gun to School: goo.gl CyberBullying Article: goo.gl TUMBLR About Me/Equipment: wilsontech1.tumblr.com DAILY iPHONE VLOG Channel: youtube.com LIKE me on Facebook: facebook.com FOLLOW me on Twitter: twitter.com AUDIO Podcast: lifepluggedin.com OUTRO performed by Charlie Puth Music: Bas

(more…)

The Australia Communications and Media Authority has launched an out of home campaign – a first for the government body – as it looks to raise awareness about digital reputation, sexting, geolocation and cyberbullying among teenagers in Sydney. The posters contain QR codes that enable teens to directly access the cybersmart website by using their cameraphones. Creative and media were devised by Mediabrands.

ACMA is using outdoor following research from the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, which suggested that teenagers pay attention to ads on street fixtures.

“The key message is presented in a strong bold typeface, in a tone of voice that aims to speak with the target rather than at them,’ explained ACMA chairman, Chris Chapman.

The campaign runs until June 19.

The cybersmart website hosts a video targeted at parents that helps them understand the online space in which their children exist.

June 13th, 2011 at 5:11 pm

Have your say

http://mumbrella.com.au/acma-tries-outdoor-to-reach-teens-on-cyberbullying-48922

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Schoolyard bullies are likely to grow up to be adults who abuse their wives and girlfriends, according to a new study.

The study, published this week in the journal Pediatrics, surveyed more than 1,400 men between that ages of 18 and 35 at an urban community center in Boston. It found that men who recalled being frequent bullies in school were four times more likely to physically abuse their partner than those who reported never bullying in school.

“Individuals who are likely to perpetrate abusive behaviors against others may do so across childhood into adulthood,” concluded the report, which was led by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health.

The study also found a link between “bullying others at school and perpetration of IPV (intimate partner violence].”

It was the latest study to indicate that many bullies do not outgrow their aggression. Past research has shown that bullies are at a higher risk of bullying their own kids, losing a job, and getting involved in the criminal justice system.

Adults with a history of bullying are 10 times more likely to lie than those with no bullying history, according to a study published in the September 2010 Psychiatric Quarterly. They also have a higher likelihood of stealing and cheating, the study found.

Mounting research suggests that for both men and women bullies tend to remain bullies. Women, however, are less likely to be the aggressor in an intimate partner relationship, according to developmental and behavioral psychologist Lori Warner in Royal Oak, Mich., who was not involved with the Harvard-led study.

“Girls who are engaging in actual bullying in school, it’s typically a social, emotional type of bullying,” said Warner. “Boys are more likely to be physically aggressive.”

The new study indicates that identifying bullies when they are young and changing their behavior can have significant consequences, particularly for women who might otherwise be abused.

One such program is the peer advocate program at the PACER National Bullying Center in Minnesota. And one of its graduates is Kailey Simpson, a 14-year-old who now considers herself a reformed bully.

Kailey, from Howard Lake, Minn., said she had been a bully since at least sixth grade when she coined herself the equal opportunity bully. But after entering a peer advocate program through PACER National Bullying Prevention Center, Kailey has learned instead to stand up for others, particularly those who are bullied.
“Once you grow up, you get more mature about it,” said Simpson.

Warner said that many effective programs target the root problems of adolescents that cause bullying.

“Research does indicate that in many cases, the bullies are getting their behavior from somewhere. They have witnessed like behavior,” said Warner. “One of the biggest risk factors is their environment.”

Many bully prevention programs are just emerging, so there’s no evidence yet to say whether they can prevent bullies from sustaining their behavior in the long run.

Many programs, including PACER’s peer advocate program, cite high success rates when it comes to curbing bullying in schools. Warner said that the short term success could imply that it’ll help some kids in the long run.

“We’ll be proactive if we’re stopping bullies in the playground before they are involved in adult crimes,” said Warner.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/school-bullies-linked-domestic-violence-adults/story?id=13774706

By MICHAEL SEDON

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — It took a beating dished out for her being raised by her grandparents, and for her Jewish faith, before Ashley Klein of Westerleigh finally found the courage to break the chain of bullying that dominated six years of her early life.

For having red hair and being bravely independent, Jonathan Diel of New Springville endured years of abuse before attending high school.

These are just some examples of the hateful acts that students at Susan E. Wagner High School were trying to eradicate with yesterday’s “Mind Matters Peace Movement” rally on the front steps of the Sea View building.

Although a Staten Island-specific breakdown was not available, citywide statistics suggest that hundreds of “bias-related incidents” occurred in the borough during the last school year.

Susan Wagner High School rally against bullying
‘Mind Matters Peace Movement’ rally held on the front steps of the school
Watch video

“Bullying is damaging in several ways for anyone who is involved in it or has to suffer through it, because it affects your self-esteem and what you think you can accomplish,” said Faith-Marie Ortiz of Westerleigh, a member of the Mind Matters group at the school. “We’re also here to not only end that but to tell everyone that no one can put a limit on what you can accomplish.”

Miss Klein, currently a ninth-grader, suffered steady nagging at the hands of her tormentors, causing her to cry every night, until she was 12 years old. The maltreatment affected her performance in school to the point where she was failing, she said.

“That affected my studies; I failed every class,” Miss Klein explained. “Then I came here, and I did a lot better because everyone is nicer.”

Using his experience with bullying to solidify his personality, Diel resisted the urge to change who he is because others found ways to pick on him for it.

“In a way it was bad, obviously, because I was kind of being discriminated against, but it was also good in the fact that it helped me to rise up and be my own individual,” Diel said. “I want to be who I want to be, and no one can tell me otherwise.”

Miss Klein and Diel approached friends to break the chains of bullying that bound them, and they suggested that anyone agonizing through the same indignities should reach out for help.

“You just have to go to someone who has a little more knowledge than you, a little more experience — and it doesn’t even have to be a parent,” Diel said. “It could be an older sibling. Someone who could just guide you through it.”

The scourge of bullying touches countless lives: Most attendees at the rally admitted that they either have been bullied at one point or know someone who has.

The word is spreading to other schools, such as Paulo Intermediate School in Huguenot and PS 6 in Richmond Valley, said Mind Matters founder Sheree Sobel, a social worker at Wagner High School.

“Everyone is doing something today to be part of the peace movement,” Ms. Sobel said. “And to send out a very powerful statement that we will not tolerate any more hurting each other.”

http://www.silive.com/westshore/index.ssf/2011/05/wagner_hs_students_push_back_a.html

Bullying is rife among teens in some areas, the survey shows.
Source: Supplied

MORE than half of all teenagers in some suburbs and country areas have reported being bullied, according to a major survey of youth wellbeing.

High numbers of young people have also admitted trying alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana.

Released yesterday, the 2010 Adolescent Community Profiles gives a snapshot of youth health and social issues for each Victorian municipality.

Bullying was a big problem in Melton, with 54 per cent saying they had experienced recent incidents.

In southeastern suburbs such as Clayton and Oakleigh the figure was around 51 per cent. The City of Bayside, which includes Brighton and Sandringham, had the lowest incidence, with less than one in three reporting recent bullying.

Smoking was popular in Whittlesea, with 53 per cent of 15-17 year olds saying they had tried it.

Teenagers in Moonee Valley, Richmond and Collingwood also had high rates of having tried smoking.

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Quit Victoria executive director Fiona Sharkie said smoking rates in lower socio-economic areas were likely to be higher and children of parents who smoked were more likely to try smoking or be a smoker.

A big proportion of inner-suburban youth had tried marijuana, reaching 43 per cent in the City of Yarra.

Almost one in three 15-17-year-olds in Wodonga had also experienced the drug. More than half of 12-14-year-olds in Frankston and regional areas such as Geelong and the Central Goldfields said they had tried alcohol.

The percentage of 15-17-year-olds who had had sexual intercourse varied considerably, from around 10 per cent in Greater Dandenong to almost 40 per cent in the Geelong region.

In Latrobe City Council’s region, which includes Moe and Morwell, there was the highest rate of teenagers having babies – 28.3 babies for every 1000 people.

State Higher Education and Skills Minister Peter Hall said the profiles identified areas of strengths and weaknesses.

“They are designed to guide decision-making across government so we can more effectively set priorities and allocate resources,” he said.

The Adolescent Community Profiles include data from the Victorian Adolescent Health and Wellbeing survey of more than 10,000 students.

Netlink: education.vic.gov.au

For more on the half of Australian youth who are being bullied go to the Herald Sun.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/most-teens-bullied-study-shows/story-e6frf7l6-1226055700790

The Children studying in the schools located in Massachusetts have been facing major bullying problems. In a new study, it has been confirmed that more than one-fourth of the total middle school children and around 16% of the children in the High School are regularly bullied.

The federal report has caused major concerns for the authorities, parents and children. During the study, the health authorities in Massachusetts for the first time ever included questions regarding the problems faced by children because of bullying. The main conclusion of the study was that there are behavioral and health damages done to the child. The violence at home and constant bullying makes the child more violent and destructive.

The Governor, Deval Patrick has introduced a law. According to the law, the bullying in schools has to be reported and investigated. The schools will be required to follow strict procedures to stop the bullying in their premises.

The authorities at the schools in the Massachusetts have assured that they will make sure that the bullying in the schools is immediately stopped. They also confirmed that they will work with the government officials to invent new preventive procedures for bullying. Hopefully the changes in the law will provide the required relief from bullying for the children, parents and authorities.

http://topnews.us/content/238957-bullying-schools-causes-concern