School Bullying Council

Caleb Laieski, a 16-year-old activist from Surprise and founder of Gays and Lesbians United Against Discrimination, was invited to Washington, D.C., last week for the White House Conference on Bullying Prevention.

We spoke with Laieski about his trip, anti-bullying policy and his goals.

Phoenix-area teen takes aim at gay bullying

What was your schedule like and who else went?

“Our schedule was packed. If we weren’t at the White House, we were . . . at Congress. It was awesome, though. . . . Most people there were from social networks, like business leaders, and university research people. Also, a few bullied students and a few parents who lost their children due to suicide.”

What was a highlight from the conference?

After President Obama’s speech, “we broke up into groups to talk about different topics. I was assigned to cyberbullying. . . . I feel the number one priority is we need to provide law enforcement with the resources where they can tackle (online threats) promptly and make sure those students are safe.”

What is the Student Non-Discrimination Act?

“It’s fairly similar to last year’s (version of the bill). It adds sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of things that cannot be discriminated upon. If schools refuse to enforce it, then they can lose federal funding.”

What is the next step for you?

“I think we’re going to be able to pass this federal bill as long as myself and other students come forward to share their stories. Because then (lawmakers) can actually relate to the bill instead of it coming from a lobbyist. . . . My goal is to go back once we get the funds and talk to every member of Congress that allows it.”

http://www.azcentral.com/community/westvalley/articles/2011/03/16/20110316surprise-teen-activist-anti-bullying-conference.html

Via Sportsgrid, how long does it take these days for a video to go viral, inspire Facebook tribute sites, and draw major media attention?

Twenty-four hours, my friends.

The school involved, Chifley College’s Dunheved Campus at St Marys North, has suspended both students and called police after footage of the fight, which took place on school grounds about 10.30am yesterday, was aired on a television station…

It is understood the Year 10 student is a victim of repeated bullying at Chifley College’s Dunheved Campus, a middle school in a disadvantaged part of western Sydney.

But police and bullying experts are concerned by the video’s publication on Facebook and the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the older boy’s retaliation against his attacker.

“We don’t believe that violence is ever the answer,” Mr Dalgleish says.

I believe the part about “repeated bullying.” Not only is there any obvious size difference between them, there’s an age difference too: The bully is just 12 and the bullied kid is … 16. (Really?) I’ve never seen a seventh-grader pick a fight with a high school junior, let alone one much bigger him, which means our bully here is either under severe delusions about his own alpha male-dom or the bullied kid is known far and wide as easy pickings. Or rather, was.

And no, the bully wasn’t injured. His suspension, according to TMZ, is for 21 days. The bullied kid’s suspension? Just four.

http://hotair.com/archives/2011/03/15/video-the-bully-body-slam/

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The parents of a sophomore who transferred to Ballard High School because of alleged bullying at another school have filed a lawsuit claiming Jefferson County Public Schools is preventing the student from playing sports this year, despite a ruling from the Kentucky High School Athletic Association granting her eligibility.

The lawsuit, filed on Thursday in Jefferson Circuit Court, claims Maddie Martin transferred from du Pont Manual High School in fall 2010 because she was being bullied and harassed and enrolled at Ballard, where she filed an appeal with the athletic association to play basketball and softball, as she had previously.

After a hearing, the athletic association granted the 16-year-old an exemption to play at Ballard without having to sit out a year, as is typical, because a hearing officer found Maddie was “bullied and the coaches at du Pont Manual failed to intercede to protect her from this treatment,” according to a passage from the lawsuit quoting the athletic association ruling. “She was clearly entitled to their protection as she was being harassed. There is not any evidence to support the idea that Maddie’s transfer was motivated in whole or in part by the desire to participate in athletics.”

But attorney Teddy Gordon, who represents the Martins, said at a press conference Thursday that the school district “refused to follow the order” of the athletic association and the family is now asking a circuit judge to intervene and allow Maddie to immediately participate in varsity athletics.

No court hearing date has been set.

The lawsuit names the school district, Jerry Wyman, director of athletics for the school district, and Joseph Burks, administrative supervisor of athletics for the school district, who, the suit claims, ruled Maddie is only eligible to play sports at Seneca High School, her “resides” school, or the one to which she would be assigned based on her address, which has been labeled a failing school.

Gordon said the school district has its own rule — outside of the athletic association — where students transferring are not eligible to play for a year.

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20110310/NEWS01/303100036/Lawyer-plans-lawsuit-behalf-student-who-wants-play-sports-Ballard-High-School?odyssey=nav%7Chead