School Bullying Council

Voice: Jennie Mason, Bay City

I recently made a speech at the school board meeting for Bay City Public Schools. At this time, there is a no-tolerance bullying policy in effect at their schools that is not enforced. I can justify this by saying if a problem with the same gang of children bullying is allowed for over a yea, and is not handled until after a violent act occurs, then how is that a no-tolerance policy? I think this shows an extreme amount of tolerance towards this situation.

My speech to the school board gave suggestions, such as pledges for students and parents to sign, suggestions for bullying posters with information about the bully, the bullied, and the bystander, a bullying agreement for parents to sign if their child is reported and proven to have bullied on three occasions. This agreement would enforce parent education classes after so many offenses by their children in order for their children to continue attending school, ideas to form committees of parents and students to discuss ways of solving bullying problems in our school system, holding accountable those adults in school that ignore pleas for help from students about bullying, requirement of students to take one anti-bullying class to graduate, and encouragement for teachers to incorporate bullying lessons into psychology, sociology and history classes.

None of these suggestions would cost more than the paper it would be printed on and possible time to gather information on parenting and student classes available in the area. Why keep a policy in place if it doesn’t work or not enforced? If we are going to be tolerant, then can we at least come up with a policy that truly means what it says?

http://www.mlive.com/opinion/bay-city/index.ssf/2011/05/letter_no-bullying_policy_does.html

Sydney Murphy, Vero Beach

Letter: Ron Bachman brings important message about bullying to Vero Beach students

As a student at Gifford Middle School, I thank the school system for having Ron Bachman speak to students about bullying.

I learned that a man with no legs was going to speak to us at an assembly, and when he entered the room on a motor wheelchair-type vehicle, I gasped as well as all of the other eighth-graders in the room. During his speech, all in the audience were the edges of the seats. He told stories about his own issues with bullying due to his condition. His message was clear; you do not have to associate with everyone, but people have the same rights as you to be left alone and not bullied.

By the time we left the assembly, people were giving him hugs, letting him sign their shoes, and even their foreheads. Bachman really gave me a different impression about bullying. Part of it was because he had no legs and continued to lead a normal life. More importantly, his words opened my eyes and those of many other students about how common and hurtful bullying is.

Assemblies like this have a profound impact on students. Hopefully at least one less student will be bullied because of Bachman’s story.

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/mar/06/letter-ron-bachman-brings-important-message-to/