Why Teaching Kindness in Schools Is Essential to Reduce Bullying | Edutopia

By Lisa Currie

Phrases like “random acts of kindness” and “pay it forward” have become popular terms in modern society. Perhaps this could be best explained by those who have identified a deficiency in their lives that can only be fulfilled by altruism.

It seems that we just can’t get enough of those addictive, feel-good emotions — and with good reason. Scientific studies prove that kindness has many physical, emotional, and mental health benefits. And children need a healthy dose of the warm-and-fuzzies to thrive as healthy, happy, well-rounded individuals.

via Why Teaching Kindness in Schools Is Essential to Reduce Bullying | Edutopia.

How to Cultivate a Bully-Free Community | Edutopia

By Megan McCarter

Fifth grader Malcolm Lyon is especially tall and well spoken for his age. When asked what he loved most about his school, Malcolm answered simply, “No bullying.” This might be surprising given the struggle with bullying that schools face nationwide. This August, Malcolm started his eighth year at Odyssey Community School, a small private school in Asheville, North Carolina, where the subject of bullying is addressed with four guiding fundamentals.

1. Recognize that bullying and conflict are not the same thing.

The community Malcolm is describing is not a place without conflict. Disagreements happen, feelings are still hurt, words are still powerful, and kids are still learning how to navigate the complex world of friendships. Odyssey is not a paradise in which human nature is checked at the door. Conflict is a natural part of our human story, and conflict resolution is a skill that children and adults alike need practice navigating with grace.

via How to Cultivate a Bully-Free Community | Edutopia.

Solano College’s Peace Summit discusses bullying – Vallejo Times Herald

By Irma Widjojo

The vicious bullying of a Wisconsin man about two decades ago became the focus Tuesday night of an anti-violence discussion at Solano Community College.

“We tend to focus on the violence that is in your face,” the session’s facilitator Professor Sandra Moore said. “But there are some more understated forms of violence, like bullying, that are not so in your face. By talking about it we can prevent it from escalating into a bigger problem.”

Moore teaches a class at the college on peace and non-violence conflict resolution and Tuesday night’s talk and screening of a short documentary film was part of the opening day of the college’s three-day Peace Summit.

 

via Solano College’s Peace Summit discusses bullying – Vallejo Times Herald.

Restraining order isn’t answer to bullying, Corey says – Daily Republic

By Ryan McCarthy

The superintendent of the Fairfield-Suisun School District spoke Thursday about being bullied as a seventh-grader, said misinformed people from around the country have emailed the district and that a court order is not the answer the extremely serious issue of bullying.

“The key to stopping bullying is not a restraining order,” Kris Corey said. “It is education.”

Her remarks during the superintendent’s report at the school board meeting came after national media attention to the Fairfield-based district. The father of a Rolling Hills Elementary student obtained a temporary restraining order against a 9-year-old that requires the youth stay at least 2 yards away from the man’s son at Rolling Hills.

via Restraining order isn’t answer to bullying, Corey says Daily Republic.

Students See Less Risk of Bullying in Racially Diverse Schools, Study Finds – Education Week

By Evie Blad

This is a cross-post from Inside School Research.

A research review has found that a reprimand from a teacher or a gesture of friendship from a fellow student can go a long way toward protecting victims from the harmful impacts of bullying. But in order to truly create a safe environment for all students, schools need to make more sweeping changes such as creating and enforcing anti-bullying policies that also address cyberharassment. Additionally, certain school characteristics—such as racial homogeneity, stand-alone middle schools, and academic tracking—are associated with higher rates of bullying.

These are just some of the findings and implications of a narrative research synthesis of more than 140 studies of bullying. The synthesis, authored by University of California Los Angeles professors Jaana Juvonen and Sandra Graham,  appears in the current issue of the Annual Review of Psychology, a peer-refereed journal. The synthesis defines bullying as “targeted intimidation or humiliation,” typically by someone who is stronger or more popular than the victim.  In other words, bullying does not need to be physical. In fact, physical bullying decreases with age to the point that, in high school, boys (who engage in more physical bullying throughout childhood) are just as likely as girls to turn to relational bullying such as ostracism or rumor mongering.

via Students See Less Risk of Bullying in Racially Diverse Schools, Study Finds – Rules for Engagement – Education Week.

Parents Attend Bullying Workshop – The Dixon Tribune | Facebook

Brianna Boyd, Editor

It is estimated that one in seven children and teens in kindergarten to twelfth grade has either been bullied or is a bully.

It’s an alarming statistic, especially when considering the potential lifetime effects on both children who have been bullied and those who are the bullies. From depression and anxiety to alcohol abuse or incarceration, bullying could impact a person for years to come. And it now comes in many more forms than the traditional verbal, social or physical abuse. In today’s electronic world, cyber bullying – using the Internet, social media, or cell phone to bully – has become increasingly popular. About 71 percent of students believe bullying is an ongoing problem at their school.

via Timeline Photos – The Dixon Tribune | Facebook.

How Many Kinds of Safe Zones Does a School Need? – Education Week

By Ross Brenneman

There’s a bully for everyone.

Based on the success of the Safe Zone movement propelled by gay rights advocates, the Secular Student Alliance announced in a press release this week that it plans to start safe zones for secular students, too.

The SSA contends that despite the growth in atheism over the past decade, nonreligious students continue to face ridicule and need a place to discuss faith—or at least a lack thereof.

via How Many Kinds of Safe Zones Does a School Need? – Rules for Engagement – Education Week.

School bullying prevention efforts falling short, state audit says | EdSource Today

By Jane Meredith Adams

Responding to concerns that schools should do more to stop bullying, a new state audit found that most schools do not track whether their anti-bullying programs have made campuses any safer and that schools are inconsistent in how they record and resolve bullying incidents.

Oversight and guidance from the California Department of Education has been insufficient, the audit said, noting the department went four years without noticing that it was not monitoring schools to ensure they were addressing student complaints, as required by law. At the same time, funding has been cut for statewide surveys on student safety, making it more difficult to determine students’ experiences with bullying.

via School bullying prevention efforts falling short, state audit says | EdSource Today.

Ed. Dept. Addresses Bullying of Students With Disabilities – Education Week

By Christina Samuels

Severe bullying of a student with disabilities could deny that student’s right to a free, appropriate public education would need to be addressed under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, according to a guidance letter for districts, states and building administrators released today from the U.S. Department of Education.

A student who is not receiving “meaningful educational benefit” because of bullying triggers that provision, but even bullying that is less severe can undermine a student’s ability to meet his or her full potential, said the letter, written by Melody Musgrove, director of the office of special education programs, and Michael Yudin, the acting assistant secretary of the office of special education and rehabilitative services. If a student with a disability is bullying others, school officials should review that student’s individualized education program to see if additional support or changes to the student’s environment are necessary.

 

via Ed. Dept. Addresses Bullying of Students With Disabilities – On Special Education – Education Week.

Jerry Brown signs bill empowering transgender students – Sacramento Bee

By Jeremy B. White / jwhite@sacbee.com

California students will soon be able to use the bathrooms and join the teams that best match their gender identity, as Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday signed a bill enshrining rights for transgender youth.

The legislation, authored by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, advanced from both houses of the Legislature on largely party-line votes. Supporters said the bill protects young people who often endure intolerance and bullying as they travel a twisting road toward self-awareness.

via Jerry Brown signs bill empowering transgender students – Education – The Sacramento Bee.

Transgender Students Protected Under Bill Signed by Calif. Governor – Education Week

By Ross Brenneman

California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill into law today that offers explicit protections for transgender students.

On June 6, 2013, the California State Assembly passed AB 1266, a bill that provides transgender students explicit protection in schools. On July 3, the state Senate also approved the measure.

via Transgender Students Protected Under Bill Signed by Calif. Governor – Rules for Engagement – Education Week.

Lodi schools to require student contract in campaign against cyberbullying – Sacramento Bee

By Loretta Kalb

Fed up with episodes of cyberbullying, Lodi Unified School District officials are requiring high school athletes and club members to sign a contract vowing not to post inappropriate language or photos online.

The contract, which took effect when the new academic year started July 26, prohibits online posts, Facebook “likes” or retweets of profane or sexual material. It also prohibits demeaning statements about other people.

via Lodi schools to require student contract in campaign against cyberbullying – Education – The Sacramento Bee.

Education Week: New Initiative Strives to Erase Bullying in a Generation

Washington

In the fight against bullying—including vicious name calling, physical assaults, fueling rumors, and anonymous comments made in cyberspace—U.S. schools have been too reactive, and it’s time for a new approach, Deborah Temkin said Wednesday.

She should know: Temkin headed up the U.S. Department of Education’s bullying prevention efforts before joining the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights to work on the same issue.

via New Initiative Strives to Erase Bullying in a Generation.

Education Week: Proposed No Child Left Behind Rewrite Would Protect LGBT Students

In addition to promoting changes to school discipline policies and requiring reporting about teen pregnancy rates in the latest proposal to overhaul No Child Left Behind, the bill would protect students who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender from bullying at school.

The proposal from Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, incorporates language from Minnesota Democrat Sen. Al Franken’s Student Nondiscrimination Act. (Read about how academic requirements and report cards for schools would work in my colleague Alyson Klein’s post on the Politics K-12 blog.)

via Proposed No Child Left Behind Rewrite Would Protect LGBT Students.

Education Week: Students Experience Less Bullying, Fear at School, New Data Show

Middle school students aren’t hurling names and epithets like they used to or being targeted by hate-related graffiti at school as much as in the past. And they are less afraid of being attacked or harmed at school and less likely to avoid certain places within their schools for fear of an attack than they have been in the past, new data from the National Center on Education Statistics show.

A number of indicators measured by nationally representative data about middle and high school students indicate that some experiences students think of as bullying are diminishing, although the trends are the opposite for some students, depending on the type of behavior and the students’ age.

via Students Experience Less Bullying, Fear at School, New Data Show.

Education Week: Absolutely Everything Researchers Know About Bullying

The American Educational Research Association released this week a thorough new analysis on the state of bullying research in the United States. The report includes several action items for improvement, aimed at both scholars and schools.

Each part addresses a specific aspect of bullying, with 11 parts in total. Here is a brief summary, item by item.

via Absolutely Everything Researchers Know About Bullying.

SCOE’s Facebook Wall: SCOE presents a Bullying Webinar on Thursday, May 16

There’s still time to sign up and watch from your home computer. SCOE presents a Bullying Webinar on Thursday, May 16, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Learn the definition of bullying, gain access to online resources, and how to support your child. Registration is open to the first 35 participants.

For more information: http://www.solanocoe.net/apps/events/2013/5/16/1439266/?id=0

via There’s still time to sign up and watch from your home computer. SCOE presents a….

Dixon Patch: Has Your Kid Been Bullied? Solano County Office of Education Wants to Help.

Has your child dealt with bullying at school in Solano County? It’s a massive problem for young people, especially as technology becomes a major part of our kids’ lives and cyberbullying complicates the situation.

Solano County is offering a free session online to help Solano County parents deal with this problem, whether your child is bullying or being bullied. You can sign up here.

via Has Your Kid Been Bullied? Solano County Wants to Help..

SCOE’s Facebook Wall: Watch from your home computer! SCOE presents a Bullying Webinar on Thursday, May 16

Watch from your home computer! SCOE presents a Bullying Webinar on Thursday, May 16, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Learn the definition of bullying, gain access to online resources, and how to support your child. Registration is open to the first 35 participants. For more information: http://www.solanocoe.net/apps/events/2013/5/16/1439266/?id=0

via Watch from your home computer! SCOE presents a Bullying Webinar on Thursday, May….

SCOE’s Facebook Wall: Bullying Webinar on Thursday, May 16

SCOE presents a Bullying Webinar on Thursday, May 16. Learn the definition of bullying, gain access to online resources, and learn how to support your child. Watch from your home computer! Registration is open to the first 35 participants. For more information: http://www.solanocoe.net/apps/events/2013/5/16/1439266/?id=0

via SCOE presents a Bullying Webinar on Thursday, May 16. Learn the definition of bu….