Western New York Teacher Center

Phone Crisis Hot Line if you are feeling hopeless or helpless because of bullying: 

 

Bullying can affect you in many ways. You may lose sleep or feel sick. You may want to skip school. You may even be thinking about suicide. If you are feeling hopeless or helpless or know someone that is, please call the LIFELINE at 1-800-273-8255  Bullying Prevention: New York State's "Dignity for All Students"

 

Recognizing, identifying, addressing and preventing bullying is an enormous task. As a result of New York State's "Dignity for All Students Act" (The Dignity Act or DASA) becoming law on July 1, 2012, all public schools are responsible for creating and implementing programs, policies and plans that protect students from all forms of harassment. First, every person who works in a school will be trained to identify bullying and to address the causes. School personnel will learn intervention strategies so they can talk effectively with students about bullying. Additionally, anti-bullying and tolerance lessons will be incorporated into the curriculum. Lastly, staff and students will become aware of the delicate balance between individual freedoms and illegal harassment. This law also requires schools to provide a confidential method for students to report incidents. As part of the effort to prevent future events, schools are also expected to address not only the psychological and emotional needs of the victims, but of those with the bullying  behavior as well. Witnesses may also need some special attention. 

 

 NewYork State's Center for School Safety offers a simple straight-forward brochure on the topic.

 

"Stop Bullying Now" is another national website from the US department of Health and Human Resources. The National Education Association website, "Bully Free; It Starts with Me" is also an excellent website with a focus on school bullying.

 

The National Center for Disease Control offers excellent resources, including ways to assess types of bullying, advice for kids being bullied, fact sheets that can be ordered for distribution, recommendations for schools and other information regarding the prevention of youth violence. 

 

The Anti-Defamation Leagues has up-to-date articles, resources, programs and news about anti-bias education and diversity training which includes bullying prevention.

 

"Eyes on Bullying" provides updated material that covers numerous topics. Bullies, victims and bystanders all play important roles. Adult intervention makes the difference in prevention. A 43-page toolkit is also available for download.  

 

One website looks at preventing bullying and violence as part of a public health problem. Examining violence both "before and after" as well as taking a sociological approach, including online courses on topics such as the principles of prevention and striving to reduce youth violence, along with some for continuing education credit. Basic types of violence are outlined and defined: child maltreatment, intimate partner, sexual, suicide and youth violence along with links to more resources and online courses.  

 

Outlined in this popular goverment website are some Ineffective Approaches to Preventing Bullying.   

 

Learning how to address bullying in an effectively manner is an ongoing process. One meaningful turning point occurred when Jamie Nabozny fought against years of bullying and won a landmark federal lawsuit against school administrators for their failure to stop the harassment. Not in Our Town is a PBS video that tells the story of a town that came together to address a vicious hate crime against a 13-year Ecuadorian resident who was murdered. Not in Our School draws from students all over the United States who created assemblies, programs, writing, projects, etc. to address not only prevention but the process of healing after events have taken place.

 

When a person is experiencing bullying, it can be hard to find hope and courage. Getting through this time is addressed by the LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender) site It Gets Better Project that offers a peek into the future. GLSEN is a network that strives to ensure the safety of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth in schools across the country.  

  

Cyberbullying

 

Cyberbullying is a type of bullying that takes place using media technology such as cell phones, internet, social media sites, chat rooms, gaming conversations, etc, and also is referred to as electronic aggression. This website page describes cyberbullying and its effects. This Nemours webpage offers suggestions about how to recognize and help your child whether the child is the target of the bully or the bully. An excellent website with the newest data and research, state laws and their progress, along with resources such as a parent/educator guide, is sponsored by the Cyberbullying Research Center.   

Cyberbullying is addressed in a website that honors the life and death of Megan Meier, who was the victim of relentless cyberbullying and committed suicide.

The Anti-Defamation League suggests effective ways for educators, families and youth to address cyberbullying. 

An excellent and effective program for middle-school students is from Cyber Civics.  

A California teacher has designed a simple effective curriculum that addresses cyber safety training.  

  

 

One part of an educational website dedicated to human rights, Speak Truth to Power, offers a curriculum elaborately designed to identify and incorporate New York State standards in anti-bullying lesson planning. Other free teaching resources are available at this website. Scroll down on this New York Times article "Resources on Bullying and Cyberbullying" to find numerous links to examples of specific lessons plans.

The Anti-Defamation League offers a connection to a number of suggested lesson plans and other resources.

 

"Buffalo Against Bullying" offers support and resources. The University of Buffalo has a new Jean M. Alberti Center for the Prevention of Bullying Abuse and School Violence; this links to an article from the new director. Conferences, speakers, articles, newsletters and other resources are available. An ABC News article features a local 14 year-old high school student, Jamey Rodemeyer, who committed suicide in September of 2011 after repeated incidents of cyberbullying.

 

School personnel can look at the State Education Department's "Guidance on Bullying and Cyberbullying Prevention"   which offers further links to specific topics.. Another resource addresses bullying in personal relationships and sees defining and finding healthy relationships during adolescence as part of a learning process. "Respect Love, Love Respect" is a website that outlines the difference between a healthy relationship and one based on control and bullying. There is also a corresponding Facebook page.

 

 Parents: for more information click on the "Parent Resource" link on this website