Category Archives for Educators
Posted: April 19, 2016
School continues to be a dangerous place for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth. A 2014 study by the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) found that 65% of LGBT students heard homophobic remarks frequently or often, 56% of LGBT students reported personally experiencing LGBT-related discriminatory policies or practices at school, and 33% of LGBT students were physically harassed (e.g., pushed or shoved) in the past year because of their sexual orientation.
“Despite increased public acceptance of LGBT people in general, many school campuses remain toxic environments for LGBT students, contributing to higher rates of suicide, depression, homelessness and HIV infection,” said Los Angeles LGBT Center CEO Lorri L. Jean.
In 2013, the Los Angeles LGBT Center and Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) in coordination with other community... Continue ReadingPosted in Specific Groups
Posted: March 30, 2016
Through our work with communities across the country, we know stakeholders from health and education sectors are eager to prevent youth bullying. Yet, they may not know where to get the right information to start and sustain impactful local efforts. This is why the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to create a new Bullying Prevention Online Course, which will provide the tools needed to help make a difference in communities across the U.S. This course presents the latest knowledge and best practices from the field of bullying prevention.
This course is a FREE professional development tool for everyone who wants to be engaged in bullying... Continue Reading
Posted: March 2, 2016
States and districts are increasingly in support of policies and practices that shift school discipline away from zero tolerance, such as suspension and expulsion, to discipline that is focused on teaching and engagement. To this effort, districts and states are rethinking discipline and adopting both Restorative Justice Practices (RJP) and Bullying Prevention (BP) as school-wide efforts to provide school staff with a set of preventative and responsive strategies to supporting positive student behaviors. Continue Reading
Posted: February 9, 2016
Not since the days and months immediately after September 11 has the Muslim community faced the level of anti-Muslim bias and bullying that has been seen over the past several months. In the wake of Paris and other terrorist attacks, combined with the emergence of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a lack of information among the public about Islam, and the tendency to associate Islam with terrorism, there has been an increase in expressions and incidents
targeting the Muslim community and those who are perceived to be Muslim, such as members of the Sikh community. There has also been an increased wave of anti-Muslim sentiment in our public discourse, political rhetoric and everyday interactions. Schools have not been immune. Youth have been called, “terrorists” or “ISIS.” There have been... Continue ReadingPosted in Specific Groups
Posted: January 14, 2016
The library is one of the safe places at school – where everyone can feel welcome and comfortable asking for advice and resources. Librarians are nurturers, caregivers and protectors.
We take this role especially seriously at our middle school, where 57 percent of our students qualify for free or reduced lunch, and many are transitioning to the United States from other countries. This year we emphasized that it’s possible to overcome a reputation our students may not be proud of – online and offline. We can all have second chances.
We’ve built our school as a community. As educators, we have the greatest impact on our students when we help them develop both a sense of self and community. We’ve found that a key piece of bullying prevention lies in helping students feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves.
Our school builds many of these kinds of... Continue Reading
Posted: December 3, 2015
Bullying affects children and young adults in every U.S. state and jurisdiction. Across the nation, we’ve seen communities work together in response to this issue, investing their resources to increase bullying prevention efforts and create safer environments for youth. Whether through ongoing bullying prevention trainings for adults who work with youth using the guidance of StopBullying.gov resources, or a coalition to coordinate community efforts, local community members are laying the groundwork for successful long-term initiatives. Continue Reading
Posted: October 5, 2015
This month, across the world, from New York to New Zealand, thousands of schools, communities, organizations, and individuals will come together to release new resources, campaigns, and efforts aimed at raising awareness for bullying prevention. Nearly a decade old, Bullying Prevention Awareness month was initiated by PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center in October 2006. Since it began, the event has grown to an entire month of education and awareness activities, and is being recognized by schools and communities throughout the world. PACER recognized that students, parents, and people around the world need to become more aware of the... Continue Reading
Posted: June 24, 2015
Bullying is more than a problem of one child bullying another. The power imbalance that defines bullying is also reflected in classroom social relations. Whereas those who bully are frequently considered “cool” or popular, their targets are “uncool” are typically rejected by classmates.
Posted: June 3, 2015
May 15-June 15 is Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month. This year’s theme is Everyone Can Play a Role! Learn the facts about tics and Tourette syndrome (TS), and how you can play a role to stop bullying of children with TS.
Bullying doesn’t just happen to the smallest kid in the class. Children who bully others target those who seem to be less powerful or not as strong. Children who bully others also often target children who seem ’different.’ Children with TS are often seen as ‘different.’
TS is a condition of the nervous system that causes people to have tics. Tics are sudden twitches, movements, or sounds that people do repeatedly. People who have tics cannot stop their body from doing these things. Having tics is a little bit like having hiccups. Even though you might not want to hiccup, your body does it anyway. Sometimes people can stop themselves from doing... Continue ReadingPosted in Risk Factors
Posted: May 27, 2015
Bullying is tough on all kids. A few years back, I had to deal with a situation in a middle school that exemplifies this. There was a young lady who had been called terrible names on the bus for more than a month. As her frustration and humiliation became too much, she came to school with a stick and assaulted the young man who was bullying her. As a result, not only did the young man who was bullying her have consequences, but so she did as well because of her reactive actions. It really showed me how complex bullying can be, and the importance of encouraging students to report incidents and of addressing these issues before they escalate. If she had reached out for assistance, instead of suffering in silence then using violence to stop the bullying, there may have been a different outcome. It’s one of... Continue Reading