School Bullying Council

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Written by

Tony Smith

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Photo Gallery: See Something? Say Something? Slogan

Winston-Salem, NC – With school approaching, the 10 or 15 minute school bus ride can determine the rest of a child’s day.

“If its chaos…if they are afraid and if they are being picked on. And what about the child who says they are walking and doesn’t come to school,” said Rhonda fleming, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools.

Winston-Salem Forsyth county schools placing anti-bullying ads on their buses using the slogan, See something? Say Something?

Kids will be able to call the number on the ad to report bullying.
The anti-bullying stickers were purchased as apart of the bullying curriculum which is funded by the school district. This is a perfect time to remind you at home to slow down when buses are present. And when stop arm is extended to put on the brakes.

According to Forsyth School officials, our school district has had Bullying Awareness committee since 2010. It started when the district rolled out “Rachel’s Challenge” in an effort to educate students, parents and the community on what is bullying, its affects and what to do about it.

There is a national bullying curriculum for all school bus drivers and their slogan is “SEE SOMETHING. DO SOMETHING.” (See this link for more about the curriculum/training.)

The Winston/Forsyth County School District, held training for all school bus drivers last week on being aware of bullying and reporting it to school administration right away and general student management.

The district’s data indicated their are “hot spots” in every school system such as hallways, stairwells, playgrounds and buses. So, transportation officials decided to make available the number on the school bus to add to resources available to help us stop bullying.

The ads, would allow both the victim to report it and any witnesses.

“Sometimes children lack the confidence to stand up for themselves, we have to help them until they are able to help themselves. Other students can help us stop bullying by reporting it,” said Fleming.

http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/article/241936/57/See-Something-Say-Something-Anti-Bullying-Ads

As we saw in the Tyler Clementi case, sometimes drawing a direct line is hard. Emily Bazelon looks at the new documentary Bully and is shocked to find one of the main character’s mental health history missing:

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/04/the-link-between-bullying-and-suicide/255315/

Post Recommended

Washington Post reporters or editors recommend this comment or reader post.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/union-politicking-is-not-bullying/2012/04/01/gIQAxRzZpS_story.html

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