Effective Strategies for Complying with New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying: A Resource Guide for Schools You Understand the Requirements of the Law… Now What? Mistakes Made Now Can Be Costly in The Future. The Information You Need to Avoid These Mistakes Is Available to You. Ensure That Your District Not Only Complies with The Law, But That It Does So Using Strategies to Address Bullying That Are Effective and Comprehensive …because if Your STUDENTS Are Not PHYSICALLY and EMOTIONALLY SAFE, Then NEITHER IS YOUR DISTRICT. 1 2 The Alliance for Comprehensive and Effective Strategies (A.C.E.S.) for Bullying Prevention in New Jersey presents: 3 Effective Strategies for Complying with New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying: A Resource Guide for Schools First Edition, June, 2011 Edited by Dr. Paula C. Rodríguez Rust Mission: ACES for Bullying Prevention is an alliance of credentialed individuals and educational, private, and non-­‐profit organizations dedicated to the effective and responsible development of anti-­‐bullying programs in schools in New Jersey. Our goal is to provide accurate information about recommended methods for preventing and responding to bullying and bias to personnel in K-­‐12 schools, enabling school personnel to distinguish legitimate approaches, programs, and service providers from inappropriate, misguided, or partial approaches and providers, however well-­‐intentioned, thereby facilitating school efforts to select services, and/or adopt or develop in-­‐house programs, to address bullying and bias effectively and in compliance with New Jersey law. Mistakes Made Now Can Be Costly in The Future. The Information You Need to Avoid These Mistakes Is Available to You. Ensure that Your District Not Only Complies with the Law, but that It Does So Using Strategies to Address Bullying that are Effective and Comprehensive …because if Your STUDENTS Are Not PHYSICALLY and EMOTIONALLY SAFE, Then NEITHER IS YOUR DISTRICT.
4 The contributions to this Resource Guide are reproduced herein with the permission of the authors of the contributions, most of whom wrote these contributions for the purpose of this Resource Guide. Each author retains any and all other rights of authorship and ownership. No part of this Resource Guide may be duplicated for sale, or used in any profit-­‐making enterprise, or included in any other publication, whether or not for profit, without the written permission of the author of the article to be duplicated. Any and all photocopies or other duplications of any part of this Resource Guide must include the name and published affiliation or other contact information of the author of the duplicated material as well as the name of the publication as a whole (“Effective Strategies for Complying with New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying: A Resource Guide for Schools”) and of the issuing organization, Alliance for Comprehensive and Effective Strategies for Bullying Prevention. Any partial reproductions of contributed material, excerpts, or quoted material must also contain or provide this information as a citation, as well as a statement or indication that the material being excerpted does not constitute the author’s entire contribution, i.e., that it is an excerpt and not a complete reproduction. Educators and school personnel in New Jersey may make copies of the materials contained herein for the purpose of aiding in the development of school anti-­‐bullying and anti-­‐bias programs. Other individuals may make copies, and copies may be made for other purposes, if duplication is done in a manner consistent with fair use. All duplications must be done in such a way as to preserve the following information contained on each page of this Resource Guide: the ACES name and website address, title of this Resource Guide, author’s name, running title, and page numbers. The works contained herein are intellectual property, and protected by all relevant laws. June, 2011 Alliance for Comprehensive and Effective Strategies for Bullying Prevention This is the first edition of the ACES for Bullying Prevention Resource Guide, Effective Strategies for Complying with New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying. It contains those contributions from experts and organizations that could be prepared in time for distribution to school personnel before the end of the 2010-­‐2011 school year, during this critical time when schools are seeking strategies for compliance with the new New Jersey Students’ Anti-­‐Bullying Bill of Rights. Other contributions are in preparation, and will be included in future editions of this Resource Guide. Starting on June 15, 2011, this Resource Guide will be available for free download at http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org. The Resource Guide available on this website will be updated as new contributions are collected. Also, some of the contributions contained in this first edition will be expanded with additional details. Questions, comments, and suggestions for topics to be included in future editions of this Resource Guide are welcome at info@ACESforBullyingPrevention.org. ACES for Bullying Prevention provides information to schools for use in selecting anti-­bullying approaches and programs from experts in a variety of fields, and endeavors to provide high quality, comprehensive, information intended to increase the effectiveness of schools’ approaches and programs, but makes no guarantees regarding legal sufficiency, legal liability, or effectiveness in any specific school context, nor any other guarantee or warranty. I.
5 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………… 7
Bullying: Not “Just” Name Calling ………………………………………………………………………. 9 About The ACES Resource Guide ……………………………………………………………………….. 9 About ACES for Bullying Prevention ………………………………………………………………….. 11 Who is ACES for Bullying Prevention? ……………………………………………………………….. 12 School #1, School #2: A “Poem” about The Importance and Impact of School Climate by Paula C. Rodriguez Rust, PhD, owner, Spectrum Diversity LLC ……………….. 13 II. Expert Contributions ……………………………………………………………..…………… 15
A. Overview of Bullying Prevention and Response ……………………………………….. 17
1. Addressing Bullying through Culture and Climate, by Leisa-Anne Smith,
Esq., Director of Violence Prevention Programs, New Jersey State Bar
Foundation …………………………………………………………………………….. 19
2. Elements of A Complete Anti-Bullying Program: How Can You Tell if
You Are Missing Something? , by Paula C. Rodríguez Rust, PhD, Owner,
Spectrum Diversity LLC ………………………………………………………………. 21
3. The Potential Impact of Bullying: Connections between The Classroom
and The World by Dr. Paul B. Winkler, Executive Director, New Jersey
Commission on Holocaust Education
……………………..………………………... 25
4. Turning Bystanders into Upstanders in Your Classroom, by Lynne
Azarchi, Executive Director, Kidsbridge Tolerance Museum …………………….…… 27
5. The Importance of Follow-up after A Bullying Incident by Nanci LebowitzNaegeli, M.D., President-elect, New Jersey Council of Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry ………………………………………………………………………………. 29
6. Relational Aggression: Social Isolation/Exclusion and Rumor Spreading:
Prevention, Identification, and Intervention by Nanci Lebowitz-Naegeli,
M.D., President-elect, New Jersey Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry………. 30
7. Cyber Bullying: Understanding the Influence of Technology on Our Youth
by Sgt. Thomas M. Rich, Owner/Creator, Always Connected.org
………….……. 33
8. Common Questions and Misunderstandings about Bullying Prevention, by
Paula C. Rodríguez Rust, PhD, Owner, Spectrum Diversity LLC ………………………. 35
9. Factors Facilitating Success in Anti-Bullying Programming, by Paula C.
Rodríguez Rust, PhD, owner, Spectrum Diversity LLC……………………………….... 39
B. Bias and Bias-Based Bullying: The Heart of the Law …………………………………… 41
10. Bias: An Often Overlooked Element in Bullying. The Importance of
Addressing Bias for Effectiveness and Legal Compliance, by Paula C.
Rodriguez Rust, PhD, Owner, Spectrum Diversity LLC
………………………. 43
11. Muslim Youth and/or Arab-American Youth as Targets of Harassment,
Intimidation, and Bullying: Suggestions for Effective Prevention and
Intervention in Schools by Nadia S. Ansary, Ph.D., Rider University ………………. 45
6 12. Sikhism: The Religion and The Needs of Sikh Children in School
Contributed by Sikh Coalition……………………………………………..……………. 47
13. The Importance of Addressing Issues of Sexual Orientation, Gender
Expression, and Gender Identity, By Carol Watchler and Rena Jacobson,
LCSW, Co-chairs, Central New Jersey chapter, Gay Lesbian Straight Education
Network (GLSEN) …………………………………………………………………….. 49
C. Mental Health and Law Enforcement Issues …………………………………………….. 53
14. Crisis Intervention with Victims of Bullying, and with The Bully, in
Schools by Nancy Saxton-Lopez, LCSW, DCSW, and Peter Pastras, LCSW,
DCSW of Clinical Services Management, P.C. ………………………………………. 55
15. Bullying and Students with Disabilities: Protecting the Most Vulnerable by
Theodore Petti, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry, Director of Child and
Adolescent Psychiatry, RWJMS-UMDNJ …………………………………………….. 56
16. Identifying Mental Health Needs in Bullies, Victims and Bystanders:
When in Doubt – Reach Out! by Nanci Lebowitz-Naegeli, M.D., Presidentelect, New Jersey Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ……………………….. 57
17. Guidelines for Talking to Students about Suicide in The Context of AntiBullying Programs, Contributed by the Traumatic Loss Coalition, affiliated
with UMDNJ-UBHC, University Behavioral HealthCare at the University of
Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
……………………………..…………….. 59
18. Advice for Working with Law Enforcement when Addressing School
Bullying, by Detective Richard Cocca #33, Juvenile Detective, Roselle Park
Police Dept.……………………………………………………………………………… 61
19. Straight Talk: The Direct Correlation between Bullying and Gangs, By
Michael DeLeon, President, Steered Straight, Inc. ………………………..…………… 62
III. Contributing Organizations……………………………………………………………………. 63
Spectrum Diversity, LLC …………………………………………………………………………………… 65 Steered Straight, Inc. ………………………………………………………………………………………… 66 GLSEN, Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network ……………………………………………. 67 Kidsbridge Tolerance Museum …………………………………………………………………………. 68 Always Connected …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 69 Sikh Coalition ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 70 7 Section I: Introduction ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section I: Introduction
8 ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section I: Introduction
9 BULLYING: NOT “JUST” NAME-­CALLING Bullying is not “just” children calling each other names on the playground. Bullying is cyber bullying, it is exclusion and ostracization, and it is bias and prejudice. Bullying is K-­‐12 and beyond, it is serious, and it can be deadly. We cannot dismiss it. We cannot tell young people to toughen up and withstand it. We must address it, using effective and comprehensive methods. We must take it seriously at all levels, beginning with the name-­‐calling, until no child in New Jersey is distracted from their studies by fear of their peers, and until all children in New Jersey feel safe, comfortable, and welcome in schools that build their self-­‐esteem and their respect for others. New Jersey law, as amended by the new Students’ Anti-­‐Bullying Bill of Rights, requires schools to “form a school safety team . . . to develop, foster, and maintain a positive school climate by focusing on the on-­going, systemic process and practices in the school and to address school climate issues such as harassment, intimidation, or bullying.” This might seem a vague and unreasonable goal. Although some details of the requirements of the new law are yet to be clarified, the goal of creating a positive school climate need not be overwhelming or vague. The purpose of this Resource Guide is to provide school personnel in New Jersey with clear, concise, practical advice from experts in various fields about how to develop a comprehensive and effective anti-­‐bullying program and create a positive school climate, in compliance with the law, for the safety of our students and the security of our districts. ABOUT THE ACES RESOURCE GUIDE The experts who have contributed to this Resource Guide gave their time freely, in the hope that the knowledge and guidance they provide will be used by schools to address bullying and bias, making schools safer for children. This Resource Guide is an on-­‐going project, and will grow as additional expert contributions are collected. The edition that you are holding in your hands is the first edition, containing contributions that were collected by June 6, 2011, in time for distribution to schools before the end of the 2010-­‐2011 school year. It is hoped that this edition, preliminary as it is, will provide some guidance to school personnel as they seek to comply with the Students’ Anti-­‐Bullying Bill of Rights by Sept., 2011. It provides information about some common mistakes and about recommended practices in bullying prevention, to help schools make decisions now that will lay the groundwork not only for legal compliance, but for successful, ongoing, effective and comprehensive anti-­‐bullying programming beginning with the 2011-­‐2012 school year. As new expert contributions are added, this Resource Guide will continue to grow to meet the needs of New Jersey school personnel. Please Use this Information and Pass It On to Decision-­Makers in Your School or District. Please pass it on to individuals in your school or district who need this information, including administrators, anti-­‐bullying coordinators, anti-­‐bullying specialists, school safety team members, school leaders, and members of LPDCs. After June 15, 2011, New Jersey educators may visit http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org to download this Resource Guide. Questions, suggestions, and comments may be sent to info@ACESforBullyingPrevention.org. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section I: Introduction
10 When students first see this poster, they usually laugh. But it contains an important message that students comprehend quickly: Bullying is no joke. Because bullying might seem trivial to those who are laughing, But it is never trivial to those who are being laughed at. This is one in a series of posters made by students in Mr. Howard Polenberg’s Graphic Arts class at the Brick Center of the Ocean County VocTech District, in the hope that it would help teach other students about the effects of bullying and bias. Poster used with the permission of Valerie, Brandie, Megan, and Natasha. Although students gave permission for the use of their full names in credits, last names of those under 18 at the time are withheld. Rights Reserved by Dr. Rodríguez Rust on behalf of the students who produced and appear in this poster. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section I: Introduction
11 ABOUT A.C.E.S. for BULLYING PREVENTION ACES for Bullying Prevention is an alliance of credentialed individuals and educational, private, and non-­‐profit organizations dedicated to the effective and responsible development of anti-­‐bullying programs in schools in New Jersey. The Alliance is a new and growing organization, emerging because of a shared concern for the safety of students in New Jersey schools and an awareness of the increasing stresses being placed on schools with limited funding and personnel. In New Jersey, the newly enacted “Students’ Anti-­‐Bullying Bill of Rights” requires schools to develop approaches or programs to address bullying. These approaches or programs must be designed to create “positive school climates” in which bullying is discouraged. Although the requirements of the law are consistent with current understandings and recommended practices in bullying prevention, legal compliance with the law does not ensure that schools will choose or develop programs that are recommended and effective in addressing bullying. Although information about recommended practices is readily available online from a number of sources, there is also a great deal of convincing misinformation about bullying prevention being circulated by private entities interested in marketing their approaches to bullying prevention. However well-­‐intentioned, because these approaches are often more limited in scope than a comprehensive approach, they appear to be easier solutions to the problem of bullying, and can be very attractive to districts seeking to comply with the law in an era of very limited funding. Some of these programs might offer “evidence” of their effectiveness, because reports of bullying incidents do decrease when a school—knowingly or not—uses techniques that discourage reporting instead of addressing bullying effectively. This “evidence” provides a false sense of objectivity for approaches that are, in some cases, not only misguided but potentially damaging. The goal of ACES, therefore, is to provide accurate information about recommended methods for preventing and responding to bullying and bias to personnel in K-­‐12 schools, enabling school personnel to distinguish legitimate approaches, programs, and service providers from inappropriate, misguided, or partial approaches and providers, however well-­‐intentioned, thereby facilitating school efforts to use limited resources wisely to select services, and/or adopt or develop in-­‐house programs, to address bullying and bias effectively, in compliance with New Jersey law. The ACES Resource Guide is the first project of ACES for Bullying Prevention. Additional projects, and the development of new resources to meet schools’ growing needs for strategies and tools to address bullying and bias are planned for the future, including a forum for educators to share concerns and ideas related to bullying prevention. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section I: Introduction
12 WHO IS A.C.E.S. for BULLYING PREVENTION? Individual and organizational partners and contributors to ACES for Bullying Prevention are listed on the inside cover of this Resource Guide, and additional information about some organizations can be found in Section III of this Guide. Some of these organizations have become “partners” in ACES for Bullying Prevention; these organizations have generally contributed financially, or in kind, to the production of this Resource Guide so that it can be provided to school personnel free of charge, and be made available for free download at www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org. Additional organizations have endorsed the mission of ACES, or contributed expert writing to be included in the Guide. Some of the individuals and organizations involved in ACES provide direct services to schools, such as professional development, consulting, or student assemblies; others do not provide direct services. If your school is seeking an outside provider, we hope that you will make note of the commitment and dedication demonstrated by ACES partners and endorsing organizations. Given the urgency of the need to distribute this Resource Guide prior to the end of the 2010-­‐2011 school year, so that it can inform decisions made in preparation for Sept., 2011, many organizations that are supportive of ACES, or whose own missions are consistent with the mission of ACES, have not yet had time to formally approve partnership or endorsement of ACES. Individual members of these organizations have, however, drawn upon their expertise to write contributions to the ACES Resource Guide. Although many of these contributions are collaborations between multiple members of an organization, they are to be understood as the advice of the individual experts who wrote the contributions and not assumed to be reflections of the views of the organizations with which these individuals are affiliated. Provider Forum and Network In the future, ACES for Bullying Prevention will maintain a network of providers who share the ACES for Bullying Prevention goal of creating safe schools for all students through the comprehensive and effective prevention of bullying and bias. This network will not be intended as a referral service, nor as a “stamp of approval” for providers, but rather as a network for providers whose interest in student safety is genuine to share concerns and work together toward shared goals, and to provide a conduit for information and a forum for discussion among experts, providers, and school personnel. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section I: Introduction
13 SCHOOL #1, SCHOOL #2 A “Poem” about The Importance and Impact of School Climate1 SCHOOL #1 I am a child. My name is Raquel. Today Jerome called me a “fatty four-­eyes” and laughed at me. Everybody else turned and looked at me. They looked at me as if I were a freak. They all laughed at me. I felt bad. I am afraid he will call me names and they will laugh at me again tomorrow. SCHOOL #2 I am a child. My n
ame is Raquel. Today Jerome called me “fatty four-­eyes” and laughed at me. Everybody else turned and looked at Jerome. They didn’t laugh; they just looked at him, shrugged their shoulders at him, and invited me to play ball. He m
ight call m
e n
ames tomorrow, but I will not be scared of him. There is nothing wrong with me, and I have friends. Which child will be more able to focus on her classwork she comes in from the playground? Which group of students would you rather have in your school? In which school do students feel safe, respected, and respectful? Which school would you want your own child to attend? Simplistic? Unrealistic? Not possible? Trivial? Can we afford to think so when the safety of our students depends on it? Many adults, when we were children, attended the first school. When we hear “bullying” we think of the nasty things that our peers did to each other, or to us, on the playground. We survived, and it is easy for us to think that today’s young people should be able to survive it, also. But bullying today is very different than it was when we went to school. As a society, we have learned that the hard way. “School #1, School #2,” written by Dr. Paula C. Rodríguez Rust, was inspired by a piece called “Cultural Differences?” by Gregorio Billikopf, which appeared in Party-­Directed Mediation, 2009. Billikopf illustrates that, as teaching professionals, we must remain aware of the power we hold to manage our classroom environments, and never underestimate the influence that the atmosphere we have created in our classrooms has on our students’ behaviors in those classrooms. 1
ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section I: Introduction
14 ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section I: Introduction
15 Section II: Expert Contributions
ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
16 ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
17 Part A: Overview of Bullying Prevention and Response Rights Reserved by Dr. Rodríguez Rust on behalf of the students who produced and appear in this poster Bullying: Who’s Next? This is one in a series of posters made by students in Mr. Howard Polenberg’s Graphic Arts class at the Brick Center of the Ocean County VocTech District, in the hope that they would help teach other students about the effects of bullying and bias. Poster used with the permission of Elaina, Casie, Rhiannon, Patrick Gabriele, Heather, and Danielle DiRosa. Although students gave permission for the use of their full names in credits, last names of those under 18 at the time are withheld. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
18 ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
19 Chapter 1: ADDRESSING BULLYING THROUGH CULTURE AND CLIMATE By Leisa-­Anne Smith, Esq., Director of Violence Prevention Programs, New Jersey State Bar Foundation A Positive School Climate Is the Key to Addressing Bullying. Experts agree that the way to combat bullying is by changing a school’s culture and climate to one that promotes positive interactions among students, among adults, and between students and adults. Often, efforts to address bullying focus on student to-­‐student “Strengthening school culture and climate is conduct; however, the focus needs to be on the single best way to reduce harassment, EVERYONE’S conduct. As with the success of any program this change must emanate intimidation and bullying in schools” from the top. The administrator is the former Governor Corzine’s Commission on Bullying in individual who sets the tone for the Schools report. building and respect is crucial. Administrators who promote collegiality and collaboration generally have good school climates. The adults in the building must model appropriate, respectful behavior and send a clear message to the students that anything less is unacceptable. Creating a peaceful school climate cannot be a “theme” or a one-­‐year goal. Rather, the commitment of the entire school community is necessary to address culture and climate issues. Administrators have the power and the autonomy to encourage their staff and students to take ownership for maintaining a positive school climate. Elements of a Positive School Climate. The climate for students and adults should be the same. This includes: a. A physical environment that is welcoming and conducive to learning. b. A social environment that promotes communication and interaction. c. An affective environment that promotes a sense of belonging and self-­‐ esteem. d. An academic environment that promotes learning and self-­‐fulfillment. A Positive School Climate is Legally Compliant. The most effective strategy for schools to employ in complying with the new anti-­‐bullying law is to understand that legally compliant DOES NOT necessarily mean schools are addressing bullying effectively. The law requires “a school safety team in each school… to develop, foster, and maintain a positive school climate… and to address school climate issues such as harassment, intimidation, or bullying. Therefore, in the spirit of the new law, culture and climate issues must be in the forefront Common Missteps in Addressing Bullying a. Using conflict resolution and/or peer mediation to address bullying. These programs should be used when students are engaged in a normal conflict. Bullying is victimization which always necessitates adult intervention. b. Social skills training to “fix” the victim. This further stigmatizes the victim and sends a message that there is something “wrong” with the student. Social skills training is beneficial for all students. c. One-­‐shot deals such as school assemblies and guest speakers in lieu of curricular, structural, cultural and climate changes. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter 1: Culture and Climate 20 d. Lack of on-­‐the-­‐spot or drive by interventions for every person, every incident, every time bullying occurs. e. Underutilization of the bystander population which constitutes 85per cent of the student population regardless of school size. What Schools Can Do: Building a positive school climate needs to be done in a context. Changing school climate requires a deliberate plan. A negative school climate is often the result of inattention to the climate. Schools need to develop an action plan with the understanding that the desired approach is to promote a culture of respect versus simply addressing bullying incidents as they occur. When developing an action plan, schools should consider: a. Forming a committee/team with structured and shared leadership such as professional learning communities. b. Building a consistent language in the building by training all staff and all students. Parents should be trained as well. c. Creating coherence by making connections to other initiatives. d. Creating discipline connections that are meaningful. Bullying should not solely be a matter left for school discipline. It requires a comprehensive approach that involves prevention, intervention and redress. e. Consequences that are escalating in nature versus zero tolerance policies are the most effective strategies. f. Designing professional development opportunities for staff & parent training opportunities. g. Building student responsibility for school climate by tapping the power of the bystanders. A positive school climate is a significant element in academic achievement, promotes empowerment of both adults and students, and enhances a sense of community. NO BULLIES ALLOWED IN THIS SCHOOL Avoid CAUTION! Negative Messages Graphic by Dr. Paula C. Rodríguez Rust ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Use POSITIVE, not negative, methods for encouraging positive behavior. The message “role models” the way members of the school community should interact IN THIS ROOM… We Respect Each Other We Help Each Other We Include Everyone Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter 1: Culture and Climate 21 Chapter 2 ELEMENTS OF A COMPLETE ANTI-­BULLYING PROGRAM: How Can You Tell if You Are Missing Something? By Dr. Paula C. Rodríguez Rust, Spectrum Diversity LLC2 An effective anti-­‐bullying program requires the coordination and cooperation of every segment of the school community, and requires the development of a culture and structures that support school-­‐wide anti-­‐bullying efforts through comprehensive programming. Whether your school or district develops a home-­‐grown anti-­‐bullying program, adopts a model program, or utilizes the services of outside providers to create a custom program, use this overview of the elements of complete anti-­‐bullying programming to identify gaps that might leave your students, and your school or district, vulnerable. AVOID THESE COMMON MISTAKES: • Many curricular and other educational programs are now marketed as “anti-­‐bullying programs.” Mediation, Conflict Resolution, and Social Skills training are excellent approaches to some of life’s problems, and they have a role to play in bullying prevention, but they can be inappropriate and even damaging when used as responses to bullying situations. Curricula are an important part of a complete anti-­‐bullying program. • Student assemblies can be effective at raising awareness and morale, and marking a “change in the way we do things here.” Although assemblies are often called “programs,” they are not comprehensive anti-­‐bullying programs. Assemblies alone cannot produce a shift toward a more positive school climate, as required to qualify as an anti-­‐bullying program under the Students’ Anti-­‐
Bullying Bill of Rights. • Beware of programs that focus on helping or “coaching” a victimized student to develop better social skills, greater confidence, etc; although an individual bullied student might benefit from social skills development or other personal development, make no mistake: addressing bullying in a school requires addressing the school climate and changing the bullying behavior, not changing the victim. Address the real problem: the bullying behavior and the climate in which it occurs. • See the chapter in this Resource Guide on “Common Questions and Misunderstandings about Bullying Prevention” for more information about common mistakes. OVERVIEW (See Detail Below)
4. Structural Components 1. Cultural Components a. Positive, Pleasant School Atmosphere a. Anti-­‐Bullying Leadership Team b. Clear School Rules, Consistently Applied, b. Sense of Shared Responsibility for Climate c. Norms—not only “rules”—against bullying Collectively Developed d. Respect for Diversity, Specific Focus on Reducing c. Supervision of Unstructured Areas Bias and Bias-­‐Related Behavior d. Reporting, Communication, Documentation 2. Assessment, Evaluation, and Evidence of Effectiveness e. Liaisons to law enforcement and other community resources a. Assessment / School Survey 5. Strategies to address different types of bullying 3. Education for All Segments of School Community a. Bias-­‐based bullying a. Professional Development for Faculty/Staff b. Education for Administrators. b. Cyber bullying c. Education for Non-­‐Professional Staff c. Relational bullying d. Education for Students d. Verbal and physical bullying
e. Education for Parents 4.
___________________________________________________________ 2. This contributor provides services to schools. See Section III of this Guide for more information. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Section II: Expert Contributions
Effective Strategies for Complying with
Part A: Overview of Bullying
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
Prevention and Response
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Chapter 2: Anti-Bullying Program Elements 22 DETAIL 1. Cultural Components: a. Positive, Pleasant School Atmosphere. The atmosphere in a school is established by the interactions of the people within it. When students enter your school in the morning, how are they greeted? When visitors enter, how are they greeted? What posters or displays are visible on the walls? How do faculty treat each other in the faculty lounge? When students are corrected for minor misbehaviors, are they respectfully reminded of appropriate behavior or are they shamed or embarrassed for misbehaving? What types of interactions do adults in the school role model for students? What types of interactions do older students role model for younger students? b. Sense of Responsibility for Climate. In general, we live in a very individualistic society, in which success is measured in terms of individual achievement and responsibility is defined in terms of one's own responsibility to take care of one's self and to refrain from personal misbehavior. To the extent that we can teach our students that they are responsible not only for themselves and their own friends, but also for the welfare of everyone in their environment, and for the quality of the social climate itself, the more empowered our students will be to participate in the creation of a climate that actively discourages bullying. c.
Norms—not only “rules”—against bullying. “Norms” are the collective sense of what it is “OK” or “not OK” to do. Norms are more than each individual person’s belief about what is right or wrong; norms are the collective sense of what “we” as a community consider appropriate behavior. If your school has “rules” against bullying, but students laugh at inappropriate comments instead of disapproving of them, or target vulnerable students instead of supporting them, and if adults do not take all types of bullying seriously and intervene in bullying behavior whenever it occurs, then students learn that bullying is tolerated, despite what the rules say. d. Respect for Diversity, Specific Focus on Reducing Bias and Bias-­Related Behavior. Students who are bullied are often singled out because of a difference, whether this difference is one of the enumerated categories (race, religion, sexual orientation, etc.), or any other difference, such as weight or social ability. Under Title 18A, including the Students’ Bill of Rights, bullying is defined as hurtful behavior motivated by an enumerated difference or “any other distinguishing characteristic.” Court decisions have made it clear that, under the Law Against Discrimination, schools must do more than respond to bias-­‐based incidents; bias in the environment must also be pro-­‐actively addressed using effective preventive education. Strategies designed to create a general “positive climate” might not effectively reduce bias; therefore, to comply with the law and effectively address bullying, anti-­‐bullying programming must include strategies specifically designed to reduce bias in the school environment. 2. Assessment, Evaluation, and Evidence of Effectiveness a. Assessment / School Survey. Students, staff, and parents can be surveyed. A survey of students provides a baseline assessment for use in identifying areas of primary concern, and provides evidence of the success of anti-­‐bullying programming when compared to follow-­‐up surveys conducted in subsequent years. A survey of staff can assess staff knowledge and feelings of preparedness, identify barriers to effectiveness, and pinpoint specific resources and training needed by staff. Surveys of parents yield useful information, and can help motivate parents to participate in the school’s anti-­‐bullying efforts. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter 2: Anti-Bullying Program Elements 23 3. Education for All Segments of the School Community: a. Professional Development for Faculty/Staff, including teachers and professional support staff such as psychologists, social workers, guidance and SAC counselors, child study team members, school resource officers, etc. Although the skills and information needed by teaching and non-­‐teaching professional staff overlap, professional support staff can also benefit from specialized training because their roles vis-­‐à-­‐vis students in general, and students involved in bullying incidents in particular, differ from the roles of teachers. PD training should include certain key topics, and meet criteria that support a school-­‐wide approach. b. Education for Administrators. Active and informed support of both school and district administrators is key in the success of an anti-­‐bullying program. Regardless of the quality of their training and the sincerity of their motivation, teachers cannot effectively address bullying unless they have, and know they have, full support from their administration. Administrators who attend faculty PD workshops become aware of any concerns or needs voiced by staff during the training, demonstrate that staff are expected to take bullying seriously, and prepare themselves to support and coordinate staff anti-­‐bullying efforts. In addition, administrators need information about legal requirements, jurisdictional issues, reporting and procedural requirements, and school-­‐wide oversight. c.
Education for Non-­Professional Staff. Aides and other non-­‐professional staff also have roles to play in a school-­‐wide anti-­‐bullying program. Although many are not required by law, policy, or contract to receive training, they often observe student behaviors from a different perspective than professional staff, and can be empowered to participate in a school's bullying prevention program. Maintenance personnel, for example, see the graffiti before cleaning it off the walls, and aides are often present in the "unstructured" areas in which most bullying occurs; they need training, and have insights to share. d. Education for Students. This includes both highly visible, one-­‐time events, as well as ongoing curricular attention. Many pre-­‐packaged curricula are available for students, including social skills curricula, lesson plans pertaining to various aspects of diversity, anti-­‐
violence programs, etc. Many of these curricula are now being marketed as "anti-­‐bullying" programs; investigate thoroughly, because many of these curricula can be included as important components of an anti-­‐bullying program, but do not in and of themselves constitute a complete anti-­‐bullying curriculum, much less a complete anti-­‐bullying program. In addition to standard social skills, socio-­‐emotional learning, and character education curricula, anti-­‐
bullying education for students should include 1) social skills training for students in their roles as bystanders to peer misbehavior, 2) intercultural competence skills, 3) education about human diversity that goes beyond diversity in food and clothing, and includes a deep understanding of differences in cultural values and beliefs, and the role of prejudice, stereotypes, and historical disadvantages, 4) concordant attitudes, e.g., a positive attitude toward difference, and motivation to put forth the extra effort to understand someone who is different from one's self. Student assemblies are a valuable component of bullying prevention, but to be part of a school’s anti-­‐bullying program, assemblies must be supported by other changes in school climate and procedures. e. Education for Parents. Although it can be difficult to encourage widespread involvement on the part of parents who juggle multiple responsibilities, it is important to provide parent education. Informed parents are better able to work with schools to prevent bullying, are more likely to understand the actions taken by a school if their child is involved in a bullying incident, and are less likely to engage in activities, or give advice to their child, that will disrupt school efforts to address bullying. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter 2: Anti-Bullying Program Elements 24 4. Structural Components: 1. Anti-­Bullying Leadership Team, representing all segments of the school community, including administration, teaching staff, professional non-­‐teaching staff, non-­‐professional staff, students, parents, and key community members. This team should meet regularly to oversee, plan, and assess the school's anti-­‐bullying efforts. The team ensures that attention to bullying is ongoing, responsive to changing circumstances and issues, and reflects the needs of the entire school community. Although students, parents, and community members should be included on the team because their perspectives are valuable and their buy-­‐in is important, the confidentiality of student information must be protected. The Students’ Anti-­‐Bullying Bill of Rights requires each school to have a “safety team;” this requirement refers to this structural component of comprehensive bullying prevention. 2. Clear School Rules, Consistently Applied, and Developed Collaboratively with Students. School rules against bullying must be clear, and understood by all segments of the school community. Responses to misbehavior must be consistent, and students must know and expect that school rules will be applied fairly and equally to all students, without favoritism. School rules should include guidelines encouraging students to speak up on behalf of others, and expected behaviors should include not only respectful behavior toward others, but also pro-­‐
active behaviors that contribute to a respectful and welcoming school climate for all students. Develop school rules with active student participation, not only to enhance student investment, but because the very act of discussion among the students about the type of school climate they want to create will help create that very climate. 3. Supervision of Unstructured Areas of the School. Most bullying occurs during less structured times during the school day, and in less structured areas of the school, including lunch time, recess, rest rooms, and hallways. During these times, students are not otherwise occupied with academic activities, and they are often supervised by non-­‐teaching staff so they will choose these times to misbehave. Staff who supervise these areas require training, and need to know that they are expected and authorized to pro-­‐actively prevent and respond to bullying behaviors in these areas. 4. Reporting, Communication, and Documentation. Clear communication is essential in any coordinated effort. Types of communication that are necessary components of an effective anti-­‐
bullying program include: 1) Explicit procedures for reporting incidents, including clear instructions regarding which types of incidents should be reported, and to whom, 2) Clear and explicit procedures for documenting incidents, including suspected incidents, that ensure the recording of information that is necessary not only to respond to individual incidents, but to detect developing patterns including bias-­‐based patterns of behavior, 3) Procedures for follow-­‐
up with offenders, targets, witnesses and reporters designed to assess the effectiveness of the initial response, identify whether additional responses are necessary, and promote faith in the ability of the school to respond effectively while also respecting confidentiality and preventing retaliation, 4) Documentation of investigatory and responsive measures taken, 5) Sharing of information about incidents with staff who might be in a position to prevent, notice, or respond to subsequent incidents, e.g., counselors, school resources officers, social workers, and teachers who supervise the students involved. The Students’ Anti-­‐Bullying Bill of Rights places new requirements on schools regarding reporting and documentation. 5. Specific Strategies to Address Different Kinds of Bullying. Bias-­‐based bullying, cyber bullying, relational bullying, and verbal and physical bullying all present different challenges to schools and require somewhat different approaches to prevention. Ensure that your anti-­‐bullying program is designed to address all forms of bullying. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter 2: Anti-Bullying Program Elements 25 Chapter 3 THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF BULLYING: Connections between the Classroom and the World By Dr. Paul B. Winkler, Executive Director, New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education “Not all bullies commit acts of genocide, but all acts of genocide were and are carried out by those that are bullies.” Quote based on Elie Wiesel’s statement about the Holocaust, “All Jews were victims, but not all victims were Jews.” Whether it be hundreds of millions of men, women, and children murdered through the act of genocide for economic, geographic, racial or religious reasons, or one child harassed and degraded in a school, bullying begins with certain acts that can be exhibited by individuals, groups, countries or governments. These acts include blaming others, pitting groups against one another, building on the fears and feelings of others, and using propaganda to sell the idea of hate. Beginning in the mid 1850’s with the slaughter of the Native Americans, and including the Holocaust and the genocide of the Darfurians in Sudan today, the same patterns are observed. All bullies do not become genocidal murderers, but they always cause terror and trauma to the victims. The impact on the victims-­‐-­‐
whether in the form of bullying, terrorism or genocide-­‐-­‐is the same. When and how do we break the vicious cycle that Comparing Bullying to connects bullying to murder and genocide? Terrorism Can Help Teachers know that students’ understanding of a concept will increase if it is related to something in their own Students Understand Global Events, and Help Raise experience. Since most youngsters have been affected by Awareness that Bullying is bullying at some time in their lives, Dr. Joanne Plescia, a Clinical Psychologist and Director of Special Services in Serious, whether Exhibited Collingswood public schools, created a table comparing by Individuals, Groups, bullying and terrorism. She presented this piece at a Countries, or Governments conference for teachers titled, “Moving Students from Bystanders to Upstanders” sponsored by the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education. This table, reproduced on the next page, can be used as a vehicle for teaching students about terrorism by relating it to bullying. The same table can be used, conversely, to raise awareness about bullying by revealing the connections and similarities between bullying and global terrorism. Although efforts to prevent bullying in schools might not stop the act of genocide, I am positive that eliminating the acts of bullies and collaborators will lessen the number of victims of bullying. Much has been written about preventative techniques and I will leave that up to the experts in the field to write and train our educators. I know that in any classroom in America, regardless of the makeup of the classroom, there are students who carry out some of the acts of bullies, there are collaborators, and, of course, there are victims. However, most of your students are bystanders. The role of education is to recognize and support the upstanders.2 Recognizing, supporting, and empowering bystanders will help us to stamp out bias, prejudice and intolerance whenever and wherever they exist. 2 The concept of the “upstander” was first mentioned by Samantha Power in her book, A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide.
ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter 3: Impact, Classroom & World
Comparison Bullying Terrorism Unprovoked and deliberately inflicted aggressive behavior A deliberate act inflicting severe pain or suffering Initiation by an individual or group Instigation by a government or dominant group Overpowering and controlling of the victim Intimidating, punishing and potential murder Intimidating or dominating impact Physical, social, mental and/or psychological damage Physical, verbal, social or even spiritual damage Discriminating, cruel, inhuman and/or degrading treatment of victims Usually persistent and continuous abuse Usually a continuous event Abuse is direct or indirect Reproduced here under permission granted to Dr. Paul Winkler by Dr. Joanne Plescia 26 ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter 3: Impact, Classroom & World
27 Chapter 4 TURNING BYSTANDERS INTO UPSTANDERS IN YOUR CLASSROOM By Lynne Azarchi, Executive Director, Kidsbridge Tolerance Museum3 Bystanders, whether they are children or adults, frequently assume a position of ‘not getting involved,’ and bullies get away with bad behavior as a result. Sometimes, bystanders fail to act because they are afraid, but staying silent has also become a code followed by law-­‐abiding adults as well as our youth. At one point or another, most adults—and most youth in schools—are bystanders to someone else’s victimization by a bully. Renowned author Samantha Power defined bystanders as persons or peoples who stand by and do nothing. She coined a new term “upstander.” An upstander is a person who “stands up and speaks out.” Among youth, an upstander is a person who seeks out and reports to an adult or a parent, especially when a safety issue is involved. Although some upstanders might seem to be “born that way,” the behavior can be taught and learned. What can be taught to help someone become an upstander… to be that one kid who chooses not to follow a bully’s demands, or goes for help to prevent a bully from finding a victim? What building blocks create the foundation for upstanding behavior? Building Block #1: Role Modeling. Aristotle said: “we become Building Blocks what we practice,” which suggests we should practice, reward, observe for Upstander and discuss upstander moments, and point them out to our children and Behavior students. Many of our youth are taught or inspired by observing the altruistic actions of others. Upstander behavior can be modeled, and kids need to see more of this in real life and in the media. Building Block #2: Self Confidence and Self Esteem. The second requirement for upstander behavior is self confidence or self esteem. It takes courage to buck a group of peers and to tell a teacher, or another adult, when safety issues arise. How does one teach self confidence and self esteem, as well as courage and integrity? To help kids build these character traits, we need to do more to examine, understand, and celebrate upstanders. Journalists reporting from high-­‐risk environments, kids overcoming adversity in their daily lives, and “whistleblowers” in all walks of life, can all serve as good role models. Children, teens and adults whose names are not in the news, but nonetheless are courageous enough to stand up, speak out and occasionally risk a punch from their peers to do the right thing, should be noticed and recognized in school and in the home. Building Block #3: Empathy. President Obama said that our nation has an ‘empathy deficit.’ He is right. Warm, loving parents and guardians are keystones for empathy development in the young. But empathy can also be taught, discussed and modeled by role models outside the home. In our schools, libraries, and bookstores, empathy rich literature and videos abound, if we seek them out. Consider engaging youth in more community service projects. Research reveals that taking part in community service increases both youth empathy and intent to be involved in future community action. Empathy is strongly related to leadership in children and adults. A leader does not comply with a bully’s directives; leaders are empowered to do the right thing. In the Kidsbridge Tolerance Museum, college students from The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) work
in small groups with youth discussing bullying, name-calling and stereotypes, discrimination and, yes,
bystander and upstander behavior. In just four hours in the Tolerance Museum, the TCNJ psychology students
(managed by Dr. James Graham and Assistant Professor Julie Hughes) have measured statistically significant
improvements in empathy. So, yes, empathy can be taught.
___________________________________________________________ 3. This contributor provides services to schools. See Section III of this Guide for more information. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter 4: Bystanders to Upstanders
28 Of course, teaching and modeling all of the above is part of a larger process to change behavior. That
level of change does take a village (parent, guardians, teachers, elders, tolerance museums, and community
programs) to set examples and get the conversation going.
Respect, civility and tolerance are built on a foundation of self-­‐esteem, empathy and respect for oneself and for others. Character education and diversity appreciation help both at-­‐risk and non at-­‐risk kids cope with school’s and life’s struggles, pressures and obstacles, all of which impede both academic achievement and the transition of our tweens and teens into responsible, civic-­‐minded, humane, human beings. Ideas written by middle school students as part of their “Action Plans” developed after they participated in the Kidsbridge “Youth and Mentor” program, using a curriculum developed by Spectrum Diversity, LLC. To start a group that could find a way to stop any kind of bullying. It will be called “anti-­‐bullying.” Not judge people. Stop saying “that so gay.” Be friendly to others. Start a club to discuss the issue. Create a website about the issue. A school newspaper section. Hang out with the kid most picked on. Teach people not to say “that’s so gay.” Make new friends. Correct someone who says t
he statement “that’s so gay.” Believe and stand up for my opinions. Not believe in stereotypes. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter 4: Bystanders to Upstanders
29 Chapter 5 THE IMPORTANCE OF FOLLOW-­UP AFTER A BULLYING INCIDENT By Nanci Lebowitz-­Naegeli, M.D., President-­elect, New Jersey Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry The goal of anti-­‐bullying laws is to provide a safe learning environment for all students in schools. One of the biggest barriers to intervention in bullying is the reluctance of victims to report the incidents, often because they fear retaliation by the bullies. The bullies sometimes threaten the victims that if they do “tell” an authority, further harm will come to them. It is therefore imperative that when an incident is reported, there is a protocol for planned follow-­‐up after the initial intervention. Victims of bullying are often frightened and ashamed after a bullying incident occurs. They battle their own feelings of embarrassment and are afraid of further humiliation. They are hesitant to tell adults because they fear that: 1) nothing will be done, 2) they will lose social status by being tattlers and 3) they will endure worse bullying or ostracism as a result. These concerns on the part of victims create barriers to their reporting of bullying incidents. Schools need to be proactive in encouraging all students including bystanders to report incidents and will need to take steps to ensure the safety of those that do so. Students who are targeted by In implementing the new laws, schools will be bullies hesitate to report required to post their policies on bullying. As part of this, bullying because they are afraid prior to any bullying incidents being reported, it should be of retaliation. Schools should clearly stated that if a bullying incident occurs, in addition pro-­actively follow-­up after to the immediate interventions, there will be planned responding to incidents, and frequent follow-­‐up and observation, so that should the increase vigilance to prevent bullying behavior continue, there will be step-­‐wise further incidents from occurring. severity of consequences. When an incident does occur and is reported, the bully and victim should be spoken to separately. As the course of action to address the bullying incident is outlined, both bully and victim should clearly be informed that the school will be following up with them, and should specify that further incidents will have increased consequences. In addition to ensuring the safety of their students, schools have the opportunity to help students learn crucial social and emotional skills when a bullying incident occurs. One skill that many students need to work on is assertiveness, particularly those involved in incidents of bullying. These students may need to be helped to find their own voice in stating what they need, how they feel and what behaviors they accept from others. However, it is very hard to ask them to speak up if they feel that there will be no positive results and that there may in fact be a worsening of the bullying. By making it clear to both victims and bullies that if there is a continuation of the behavior or retaliation that the bullies will face more serious consequences. This is also an opportunity for the bullies to work on other coping strategies and even assertiveness as well. By addressing coping skills at the time of the incident and giving specific strategies to cope with angry or uncomfortable feelings, schools may play a part in reducing further unrelated bullying incidents as well. Schools have the important and at times daunting task of meeting the many academic and social/emotional needs of their students. Implementing the anti-­‐bullying laws will promote a safe environment for all students to grow and develop. For these laws to be effective, students must feel comfortable reporting bullying incidents to school staff. By establishing clear guidelines for the follow-­‐
up after a bullying incident, and increasing severity of consequences for repeat or retaliatory incidents, schools will increase the effectiveness of the laws, further protecting their students and contributing to an improved learning environment. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter 5: Incident Follow-up
30 Chapter 6 RELATIONAL AGGRESSION: SOCIAL ISOLATION/
EXCLUSION AND RUMOR SPREADING
Prevention, Identification and Intervention By Nanci Lebowitz-­Naegeli, M.D., President-­elect, New Jersey Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Relational aggression, which is often thought of, but not limited to, “girl bullying,” has been increasing to epidemic proportions. This kind of bullying frequently occurs without notice of school staff, as it most often takes place in school cafeterias, hallways, playgrounds, and increasingly in homes through social networking such as facebook and texting. It can start in the earliest school years and increases, peaking in middle school years, but continuing into high school and beyond. Relational bullying is harder to detect because it is often covert or “underground,” allowing the perpetrator to go unnoticed. Relational aggression can be defined as behaviors intended to harm a person’s feelings or sense of belonging in a particular peer group. The most common relationally aggressive behaviors are exclusion, social Relational aggression is isolation, and rumor spreading. Exclusion and social behavior intended to hurt a isolation occur when a student is left out or not permitted person’s feelings or sense of into a group. An example of this type of behavior is a belonging in a peer group student being told that she can’t sit at a lunch table, or if she sits down, the others all leave. A common example in younger children would be when a student is told that he can’t join in a game or play with others. Students can also be “ignored” by peers, not spoken or responded to and or not invited to a party or event that the rest of the group is attending. Rumor spreading happens when negative things are spoken or written about a student with the intent to harm a person’s reputation, and ultimately decrease their social status or isolate them from the group. In the last several years, this has been an increasing problem through social media, such as texting and social networking sites where people can publicly post information to a large number of people, magnifying the impact of such behaviors. Typical examples include making up something negative that a student said or did, in order to make the others shun that person, or making up or spreading information about a student’s sexual behaviors. Some parents and teachers minimize this type of behavior, rationalizing that it is a normal part of growing up. However, this kind of bullying can have serious detrimental effects on emotional well-­‐being and Relational Aggression is bullying; social and academic functioning. Students that it is not a “rite of passage” experience this behavior can have an increase in anxiety, depression, school absence/refusal, suicidal thinking, and somatic symptoms, and a decrease in academic performance, social contact and self-­‐esteem. Prevention efforts for this type of behavior need to Prevention Starts Early start early on. Children need to be taught what is appropriate pro-­‐social behavior, such as sharing, cooperating, including others, regulating their emotions, being assertive and problem solving. They need to be taught that exclusion and rumor spreading are hurtful and therefore not acceptable and that breaking this rule will result in strict enforcement of the consequences. They can learn about this through classroom discussion, which can be stimulated and reinforced through literature and visual media. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter 6: Relational Aggression
31 When relational aggression comes to the attention of school personnel, it must be responded to quickly and sensitively. The victim and the perpetrator should be interviewed separately, not together, as this may inhibit full disclosure of the incident. It is often helpful to speak to other members of the group who may have been more peripherally involved. It is important to try to get each student to express her own feelings about what has happened and help them problem-­‐solve about what to do about it. In this process, specific social skills may be identified that the student can work on to help respond to or prevent similar situations in the future. Those who are the social bullies are also at risk. Although these students may be more “popular” in their younger years, as they get older, they tend to have more loneliness and social isolation themselves and are at higher risk for delinquency in later adolescence. They often have poor emotional regulation and poor problem-­‐solving skills as well. When possible, trying to help them understand their own feelings and identify triggers for their aggressive behaviors can be very helpful. Bullies also often need to learn better social skills and can be encouraged to identify and work on these skills. It is important for the parents of the students who are involved in incidents of social/relational aggression to be contacted. The schools must first respond to the emotional reactions of the parents. Parents of victims might be quite angry, emotional and/or worried. They need to be reassured that steps will be taken to ensure the physical and emotional safety of their child. Once more calm, they should be engaged in a conversation with their child that helps them encourage their child’s problem-­‐solving skills Parents of students involved in and identifies possible social or emotional skills to work on relational aggression should such as assertiveness, cognitive-­‐behavioral skills to more be contacted, and schools can accurately interpret social situations and enhance self-­‐
help parents and students esteem and ways of promoting healthier relationships. If address the issues raised in there are at least three other students with similar positive, developmentally issues/experiences, they could meet with the counselor in a appropriate ways small group setting to facilitate this and possibly foster social connection. Parents of victims often need help to not “overfunction” or be overprotective of their child and jump in and try to solve the situation for them. They may want to jump in and have classes changed, or to confront the perpetrator or her family, or go overboard compensating by spending too much time with the child, which can interfere with age-­‐
appropriate socializing. They may need help and encouragement to allow their child to work at expressing their feelings and finding their own solutions. Parents of relationally aggressive students often either react angrily, or dismissively to news that their child has been involved in a bullying incident. With these parents, it is helpful to describe the incident in a clear, straightforward way, explaining how the behavior violates rules of student conduct, taking care not to assign blame to them. Two types of parenting styles are often found in parents of relationally aggressive children. One is an authoritarian style, in which parents are often excessively focused on discipline, but with less warmth or nurturance. The second common style is overly permissive parenting, in which the child may not have developed appropriate self-­‐control. At a minimum, the goal is to engage parents so that they will at least not undermine school efforts to help their child develop more respectful behaviors. The ultimate goal, however, is to engage them in the process of helping to teach their child these behaviors and to reinforce this at home. This will also involve helping them to listen to their children, and helping the children to develop other coping and socialization strategies. Although the approach should take into account the developmental levels of the children, and an understanding that every child is trying to navigate their way through their social world, there do need to be consequences for relational aggression. Appropriate Response Strategies Help Resolve Issues and Prevent Future Incidents or Escalation ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter 6: Relational Aggression
32 Teachers must also be educated about relational aggression and its impact. They can be on the lookout for such behaviors and catch them early to support the students involved and reinforce a classroom atmosphere of respect, cooperation and acceptance. Teachers can have a tremendously positive impact on the children and help them learn these appropriate skills, but must also be alert to not unwittingly participate in it by reacting negatively themselves to children who may have difficult behaviors or provoke difficult feelings. They might need help adopting classroom strategies for dealing with these behaviors and to help them avoid this pitfall. Ideally, children involved in social bullying or Teachers need to be aware of the relational aggression can be worked with over time either individually or in groups with school counselors indicators and seriousness of to improve their social and emotion-­‐regulation skills. relational aggression, so that If the demand is too high, or an individual student is situations can be identified early, found to have more serious or persistent emotional and respectful school climate can needs, she should be referred to an outside clinician or be maintained. group that can work on these skills in a more in-­‐depth manner. Schools can help to prevent and address relational aggression through early and repeated developmentally appropriate education. Through discussions and clear guidelines on positive, pro-­‐
social behaviors and appropriate consequences and interventions for social bullying, schools can reduce the incidence and impact of relational aggression. With an attitude of helping all students learn positive social skills and emotional regulation, schools can increase the emotional safety and well-­‐being of their students and prevent future problems associated with relational aggression. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter 6: Relational Aggression
33 Chapter 7 CYBER-­BULLYING: UNDERSTANDING THE INFLUENCE OF TECHNOLOGY ON OUR YOUTH By Sgt. Thomas M Rich, Owner/Creator of AlwaysConnected.org4 Background: In today’s society Cyber Bullying has become the hottest topic in the media and it involves students of all walks of life, all over the country. It affects students of all ages from elementary school up and through college. Technology has become deeply ingrained in our lives because we are Always Connected. In a society in which we can pay bills, check email, post a status on facebook and tweet from the palm of our hands, it has also become very easy to be mean to each other, or keep a constant eye on The Bullying of Yesterday someone that you like, or on your “ex.” The bullying of Has Risen to a Whole New yesterday has risen to a whole new level now that it has Level Now that It Has entered the world of technology. Schools and parents are Entered the World of reeling, trying to decide what to do to keep their children Technology safe. In a society that is “Always Connected,” our children are becoming very disconnected because face-­‐to-­‐face interactions with their peers have become limited. This truly has become the root of all the evil, because you cannot see a person’s face when you post, type or tweet the mean and vicious words that pollute the internet. What can schools do to help combat the ever-­growing problem of cyber bullying? How can they help their students to be safe? One of the most important things that a school can do to help combat cyber bullying is get a feel for the climate of your school and address the specific problems that change the way that the students interact with each other. If texting has taken over your students’ lives, reinforce the idea that technology is good, but when used in moderation. It is important to lead discussions to bring out the lack of self-­‐confidence and self-­‐esteem that can be lost when a student hides behind a keyboard all of the time. Without face-­‐to-­‐face interaction, you lose a lot of the necessary everyday life skills that are learned in normal daily conversation. Teaching students to protect themselves online is a vital part of combating this ever-­‐
growing problem. Unless they are shown real life examples demonstrating the pitfalls of what can happen online, most students don’t understand or connect with the point that is being taught. When you address topics like facebook.com, the number one issue for all students should be privacy. Seeing how their pictures, their actual physical location or their own personal information is accessible to anyone, creates a very important “teachable moment.” Most students feel that the internet is confined to their small little town or group of friends and they fail to realize that once you post something online it is there forever. ___________________________________________________________ 4. This contributor provides services to schools. See Section III of this Guide for more information. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter 7: Cyber-Bullying
34 Helping to work through issues and being proactive can be highly effective. Specific solutions are important. One strategy is to have a designated email address or cell phone number that is linked to the school counselors. This type of electronic solution can be crucial, because it makes reporting bullying or cyber bullying problems easier for students because this is the type of communication they prefer. Placing a link to that email address on the board of education website, so the reporting mechanism is fool proof, may make the difference in whether a victim reports a problem or not. Also, setting up peer groups or extracurricular activities that give students ownership of the problem and inpute into its solutions goes a very long way. Changing the climate of the school is absolutely necessary and in order to do that the students have to want to participate and the staff has to reinforce any and all efforts made by the student body. Bringing in experts to lead discussions about these topics is important as well because when you can identify real life situations and talk about them to students on their level, that is when change will occur. It is important to survey your student body prior to these discussions to get a feel for the climate of the school and to identify what the students feel are-­‐-­‐and are not-­‐
-­‐the problems. Most importantly, the school’s climate and school’s culture are what drives the student population to MAKE A DIFFERENCE in the lives of others on a daily basis. Stop Cyber Bullying! This is one in a series of posters made by students in Howard Polenberg’s Graphic Arts class at the Brick Center of the Ocean County VocTech District, in the hope that they would help teach other students about the effects of bullying and bias. Poster used with the permission of Patrick Gabriele, Brittany, Elaina, and Rhiannon. Although students gave permission for the use of their full names in credits, last names of those under 18 at the time are withheld. Rights Reserved by Dr. Rodríguez Rust on behalf of the students who produced and appear in this poster. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter 7: Cyber-Bullying
35 Chapter 8 COMMON QUESTIONS & MISUNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT BULLYING PREVENTION By Dr. Paula C. Rodríguez Rust, Spectrum Diversity LLC5 Often, students are vulnerable to bullying because they lack social skills. If we give the targeted students social skills training, would this make them less likely to be targets for bullying? It is true that students with poor social skills are often targeted in bullying, but it does not follow that providing these students with social skills training will end their torment, or stop the bullying. Any student who needs social skills training should receive it, but providing social skills training as a response to a bullying situation implies that the targeted student is to blame for the bullying, and fails to correct the bullying behavior itself. Mediation and Conflict Resolution are excellent programs; can we apply these to address bullying situations? The short answer is “no.” Mediation and conflict resolution are excellent programs for situations involving mutual conflict, in which both parties to the conflict have concessions to make or differences to resolve. In a bullying situation, asking a targeted student to face their tormentor and either acknowledge hurt, request cessation, or make concessions, is tantamount to re-­‐
victimizing the student and could lead to retaliation or renewed abuse on the part of the offender. Many targeted students, once placed in this untenable and extremely uncomfortable position, will avoid reporting future abuse. Training in conflict resolution and other social skills does, however, have a role to play in the prevention of bullying behavior. There are a number of anti-­bullying programs on the market; our district is planning to purchase one of these programs. Please examine the program to see whether it is a comprehensive anti-­‐bullying program. There are a number of excellent curricula available that can fulfill the student educational component of your anti-­‐bullying program, but although these curricula are often referred to as “programs,” they are not comprehensive bullying prevention programs. Review the chapter in this Resource Guide, “Elements of a Complete Anti-­‐Bullying Program” and if you choose to purchase a curriculum or any product advertised as a “bullying prevention program,” make sure that you know what additional components you might need to provide to constitute a comprehensive program for your school. We have an evidence-­based program in place that is comprehensive and designed to foster a positive school climate in which bullying is discouraged. Is there anything else we need? The most common aspect of bullying prevention that is sometimes absent from otherwise excellent programs is a focus on bias-­‐based bullying, including strategies for reducing the prejudice underlying bias-­‐based bullying. General approaches to creating a positive atmosphere often leave environmental biases unresolved, because prejudice and stereotypy embody unique dynamics. Under Title 18A, including the Students’ Bill of Rights, bullying is defined as hurtful behavior motivated by an enumerated difference or “any other distinguishing characteristic,” and lawsuit outcomes such as L.W. vs. Toms River RSD, have made it clear that environmental biases can be discriminatory and must be addressed through effective preventive education specifically designed to reduce bias. Therefore, to comply with both educational and civil law, and to address bullying effectively, anti-­‐bullying programming must include specific strategies to address bias in the school environment. ___________________________________________________________ 5. This contributor provides services to schools. See Section III of this Guide for more information. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter 8: Common Questions
36 We have had several very good student assemblies; is this our anti-­bullying program? No. Student assemblies can be an important technique for raising awareness, generating motivation, encouraging buy-­‐in, and marking the beginning of a school climate change, but student assemblies do not constitute a comprehensive bullying prevention program. If student assemblies are not embedded in a context of on-­‐going curricular, structural, and cultural changes, then the impact will be short-­‐lived. How do I know if a program is “evidence-­based”? If you are purchasing a program, check reputable sources online to investigate the program. If claims are made that the program is “evidence-­‐based,” make sure that the evidence pertains to bullying prevention, and not a different outcome. Use caution, and be aware that the term “evidence-­‐based” has become somewhat of a misunderstood buzzword; evidence varies in quality, and claims to an “evidence basis” can provide a false appearance of objectivity and a false promise of effectiveness. If you are looking for professional development, you want to find a provider whose training provides strategies that are research-­based, and consistent with the best contemporary practices in bullying prevention. Funding is limited; can we provide professional development training in-­house to our own staff? Quality professional development training is a very important component in an anti-­‐bullying program; if your staff are not informed, motivated, and consistent in their responses to bullying and efforts to create a positive school environment, then all other efforts might be wasted. Professional development training is not the area to cut corners if you are not confident about in-­‐house expertise. Make sure that your PD training is provided by a competent professional with expertise in bullying prevention and response techniques. Weigh the costs of training against the value of your students’ safety, and take into consideration the possibility that students who are harmed by bullying might file lawsuits. What is the role of the “school safety team”? It is not an “incident report processing team,” nor a permission-­granting committee; it is a creative, program development team. The “school safety team,” or “anti-­‐bullying leadership team,” or “school climate team,” should be a program development team. The job of the team is to develop pro-­‐active strategies for preventing bullying and bias in the school through evaluating needs and Your School Safety Team collecting input from all segments of the school community. The Is Not An Incident Report school safety team should be a creative planning team, not a Processing Team; It Is a number-­‐crunching committee. It is also not an “idea-­‐screening” Program Development team; it should not be another step in bureaucratic approval for Team, Leading the School ideas suggested by members of the school community. The goal of in Addressing Bullying the team is to encourage creative solutions to bullying issues, and Pro-­Actively to lead the way in anti-­‐bullying programming, not to become a barrier to programming itself by acting as a gatekeeper for ideas. We are waiting until our students reach middle school before we educate them about certain aspects of bullying prevention, such as cyber bullying and sexual orientation diversity. The key to prevention is that it must begin before problems arise. For example, if fourth graders form socially exclusive “clubs,” then the time to teach children to be inclusive and responsible for the welfare of all their classmates is before fourth grade. Elementary students are online at very young ages, and they call each other “gay” as an insult before they understand what the word means to adults. Students as young as 11 and 13 have committed suicide because they were taunted by other students who called them “gay.” These issues have to be addressed in age-­‐appropriate ways at every grade level so that these problems can be prevented. Cyber safety education can and should begin before students begin going online; organizations like I-­‐safe (www.isafe.org) offer cyber safety curricula for grades K-­‐12. See www.safeschoolscoalition.org for age-­‐appropriate lesson plans about family and gender diversity. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter 8: Common Questions
37 How can we tell if a program is legitimate? Look at the “Elements of a Complete Anti-­‐Bullying Program” chapter in this Resource Guide. Beware of programs that focus on changing or fixing the target of bullying; look for programs that focus on altering the offending behavior and creating a positive school climate that discourages bullying. How do we find a competent professional development provider? Beware of “quick fixes,” easy solutions, and approaches that focus on “fixing” the targeted student by providing the target with self-­‐
esteem, assertiveness, or confidence training. Beware of “resilience” training and “coaching” for the targeted student. A competent professional development provider will have extensive knowledge of both the psychological and sociological aspects of bullying and bullying prevention, familiarity with relevant laws, a working knowledge of school organizational structures and procedures, and an understanding of specific populations that are likely to be targeted by bullying. In the Wake of the Passage of the “Students’ Anti-­Bullying Bill of Rights,” There is a great deal of rightful concern about complying with the details of this new law. Do not forget that other laws also apply including the Law Against Discrimination. Students are not only entitled to attend schools in which the “t’s” are crossed and the “i’s” are dotted in compliance with the Title 18A Bill of Rights; Students are entitled to attend schools in which they are ACTUALLY safe and able to receive an education in a non-­hostile environment undistracted by fear for their emotional or physical safety. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter 8: Common Questions
38 Photo reproduced with permission of the individuals pictured. Rights Reserved, Dr. Paula C. Rodríguez Rust Commitment by all segments of the school community, and education about bullying for administration, staff, students, and parents is important to the successful implementation of an anti-­‐bullying program. Here, parent liaisons and counselors in Elizabeth attend a three-­‐session workshop on bullying. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter 8: Common Questions
39 Chapter 9 FACTORS FACILITATING SUCCESS IN ANTI-­BULLYING PROGRAMMING By Dr. Paula C. Rodríguez Rust, Spectrum Diversity LLC6 Comprehensive anti-­‐bullying programming is important in effectively addressing bullying, but even the best programs are less likely to succeed if circumstances are not favorable. See the chapters in this Resource Guide entitled “Elements of a Complete Anti-­‐Bullying Program” and “Common Questions and Misunderstandings,” to make sure that your anti-­‐bullying program includes all the necessary elements and uses recommended practices. Then, take into consideration the following factors that are important in creating the conditions that will facilitate the success of your program: Empowerment of Students and Staff as Bystanders, Role Modeling by Adults. It is important for staff to role model the behavior expected of students, including respectful behavior as well as bystander intervention. When staff treat each other with respect and treat students with respect, students are more likely to treat each other, as well as staff, with respect. Discipline should be done using positive methods; embarrassment should not be used as a discipline strategy, and positive behavior should be noticed and rewarded. When staff intervene in bullying and other misbehavior among students, they not only interrupt the hurtful behavior, they also role model the expectation that bystanders should intervene, as well as the strategies for doing so, thus empowering students to do the same. Activities to Increase the Social Cohesion of the School Community Morale-­‐building events and activities that encourage students to interact across social divisions help integrate the school community, building among students a sense of responsibility for each others’ welfare, and a sense of personal responsibility for the social climate of the school. Commitment by All Segments of the School Community to Address Bullying, and Universal Participation by School Staff. Creating a positive school climate that discourages bullying requires the participation of all segments of the school community, including teachers and other staff, administrators, students, and parents. Teachers will find it more difficult to address bullying if parents are not on board, students will be unlikely to change their behavior if teachers do not respond effectively to issues reported by students, and teachers will be less likely to take bullying seriously if they do not believe their administrators also take it seriously. Among school personnel, this also means that all individuals must do their part in efforts to address bullying; if some staff members do not take bullying seriously, it is much more difficult for other staff members to maintain a positive climate that discourages bullying. Administrative Support, Leadership, and Knowledge. Administrative support is particularly critical; staff members whose leaders take bullying seriously and are knowledgeable about the components of effective anti-­‐bullying programming are more likely to take bullying seriously, and use recommended methods themselves. Teachers are more likely to intervene in bullying incidents if they believe their administrators will back them up in the decisions they make to enforce anti-­‐bullying policies. ___________________________________________________________ 6. This contributor provides services to schools. See Section III of this Guide for more information. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Section II: Expert Contributions
Effective Strategies for Complying with
Part A: Overview of Bullying
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
Prevention and Response
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org Chapter 9: Facilitating Success 40 Involvement in Program Development by A Broad Base of School Community Members; Staff, Student, and Parent Input is Important. Members of your school community—students, parents, teachers and other staff, administrators—will be more committed to a program that they have helped develop, than to a program that is imposed upon them from above or from outside the school. This is because the process of program development creates a vested interest on the part of those involved in developing a program, and because home-­‐grown strategies will be more responsive to local needs, sensitivities, and resources. Therefore, a program that is “home-­‐grown” or a program that is purchased but which includes strategies for engaging members of the school community in program development, will be more successful than one that does not encourage locally determined implementation by a broad base of school community members. However, local program development should be guided by individuals, either inside or outside the district, who have been fully trained in comprehensive and recommended methods of bullying and bias prevention and response so that home-­‐grown programming will be comprehensive and use methods consistent with evidence-­‐
based and effective strategies. Photo reproduced with permission of the individuals pictured. Rights Reserved, Dr. Paula C. Rodriguez Rust Teaching children to not only avoid bullying others, but to be upstanders when they witness others being bullied, is something children should learn from all the adults in their lives. Here, Catholic Charities, DOM, Family Workers discuss strategies for teaching young children to develop respect, empathy, and responsibility for others. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter 9: Facilitating Success 41 Part B: Bias and Bias-­Based Bullying: The Heart of the Law Students in a central New Jersey Elementary School learn the value of respecting differences by decorating their classroom doors in a competition for a class ice cream party. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org Section II: Expert Contributions
Part B: Bias and Bias-Based
Bullying: The Heart of the Law
42 ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org Section II: Expert Contributions
Part B: Bias and Bias-Based
Bullying: The Heart of the Law
43 Chapter 10 BIAS: AN OFTEN OVERLOOKED ELEMENT IN BULLYING The Importance Of Addressing Bias for Effectiveness And Legal Compliance By Dr. Paula C. Rodríguez Rust, Spectrum Diversity LLC7 Effective approaches to bullying prevention are designed to create positive school climates in which all students are respected and bullying is discouraged. However, teaching students the value of respect as a general principle will not necessarily produce school environments in which all types of students are respected. Unless biases are addressed in their own right, and students are educated about different social groups, taught to respect difference, and taught intercultural competence skills in addition to basic social skills, the message “respect everyone” will not lead to an environment in which all students are actually treated with respect. Why is it important to address environmental biases to ensure legal compliance with the new Students’ Bill of Rights and other applicable laws? Under Title 18A as amended by the new Students’ Anti-­Bullying Bill of Rights, bullying is defined as harmful behavior “motivated by” certain enumerated “actual or perceived characteristics” including race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or a mental, physical, or sensory disability,” or “by any other distinguishing characteristic.” Under the Law Against Discrimination, students are entitled to a school environment in which they are not subjected to a “hostile environment” in which they are afraid for their physical or emotional safety or distracted from their academic studies, by the prejudice of others. As noted in L.W. vs. Toms River RSD, responding to incidents of bias-­‐based bullying as isolated incidents is inadequate; schools are responsible for providing “effective preventive education” to address environmental biases and create a safe school environment for all students. Therefore, to comply with the law, to protect schools, and to safeguard students’ rights under both Title 18A and the Law Against Discrimination, it is essential that schools address environmental biases directly; approaches that address only general bullying or teach only general respect, without explicitly addressing specific forms of bias, leave both students and schools vulnerable. Don’t comprehensive bullying prevention programs, especially nationally recognized and recommended programs, already address bias if it’s such an important aspect of bullying prevention? Not necessarily. Bullying prevention programs are designed to create positive climates of respect, but not all such programs include strategies for addressing environmental biases or responding to bias-­‐based bullying. This is a serious gap in anti-­bullying programming, especially in a state such as New Jersey, which has one of the most culturally diverse populations in the nation. If your district is adopting a program that was not designed with a diverse student population in mind, and/or that does not include specific strategies for addressing environmental biases, then your program is incomplete; you will need to supplement that program with elements that can fill this gap. ___________________________________________________________ 7. This contributor provides services to schools. See Section III of this Guide for more information. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Section II: Expert Contributions
Effective Strategies for Complying with
Part B: Bias and Bias-Based
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
Bullying: The Heart of the Law
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org Chapter 10: The Importance of Addressing Bias
44 How is addressing bias relevant to addressing bullying? There is a reciprocal relationship between bullying and bias; neither one can be effectively addressed or prevented without attention to the other. • Individuals who are bullied by others are often singled out for abuse because of a difference; whether this difference fits one of the legally protected classifications—such as ethnicity, disability, religion, or sexual orientation—or whether it is another form of difference, such as weight or clothing style, bullying based on difference is, in its dynamics and impact, fundamentally a form of bias-­‐based behavior. Therefore, bullying cannot be effectively addressed without addressing the attitudes toward difference that lead to the vulnerability of those who are different. • Conversely, bias cannot be addressed without addressing bullying because it is through inappropriate social behavior that attitudinal biases are expressed and thereby have their impact on others. Bias-­‐based behavior is, by definition, a form of behavior in which individuals use socially-­‐based power differentials to inflict harm on others and it is, therefore, by definition, bullying. What does a school need to do to address environmental bias effectively? An effective anti-­‐bias program, like an effective anti-­‐bullying program, must be comprehensive and school-­‐wide. It must include training for staff about diversity, including intervention strategies and techniques for creating inclusive classrooms and intervening in bias-­‐related incidents. It must include integrated curricular attention to diversity designed to encourage discussion about, comfort with, and respect for, diversity. Students need knowledge about specific cultural groups, and they need knowledge about prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination as phenomena. Education about diversity must be integrated throughout the curriculum, not confined to lesson plans, weeks, or months dedicated to teaching about social groups that are otherwise underrepresented in the curriculum. In addition to basic Basic Social Skills Are social skills, students need to learn intercultural skills, Insufficient; to Reduce Bias e.g., how to show respect to someone belonging to a and Social Isolation of Those different cultural group, and the attitudes to match these skills, e.g., the motivation and desire to put forth the Who Are Different, Students extra effort to get to know someone whose background Need Inter-­Cultural Skills and is different from one’s own. Students need to experience the Motivation to Use Them learning about groups of people who are different from themselves, and they also need to experience learning about the groups to which they themselves belong, so they understand that their own groups are not “neutral” groups against which “others” are measured or compared, and that they themselves are someone else’s “other.” The structure of the school, including procedures, rules, and methods of communication, should be culturally sensitive. An effective anti-­‐bias program must address both enumerated social differences, including race, ethnicity, religion, dis/ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, etc., as well as non-­‐enumerated social differences that are important to students, such as social class, body size and weight, clique differences, athleticism, popularity, etc. Each form of diversity presents a unique challenge in the school setting, and at each grade level. An effective anti-­‐bias program addresses each form of diversity in its own right, acknowledging and meeting the very different challenges posed by each. Spectrum Diversity LLC has developed “The ABCDE’s of Bias Prevention,” an outline of the elements necessary for a comprehensive anti-­‐bias program, and is developing the CORE-­‐BASK, a tool for the evaluation of anti-­‐bias curricula. The CORE-­‐BASK serves as an extensive checklist for schools to ensure that their efforts to provide effective, preventive, anti-­‐bias education for students is comprehensive along all dimensions. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Section II: Expert Contributions
Effective Strategies for Complying with
Part B: Bias and Bias-Based
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
Bullying: The Heart of the Law
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org Chapter 10: The Importance of Addressing Bias
45 Chapter 11 MUSLIM YOUTH and/or ARAB-­AMERICAN YOUTH AS TARGETS OF HARASSMENT, INTIMIDATION, AND BULLYING: Suggestions for Effective Prevention and Intervention in Schools By Nadia S. Ansary, Ph.D., Rider University Hostility and discrimination against Muslims, individuals of Arab origin, or those even perceived to be of either group, has become an issue of concern in our country and especially so in states with levels of diversity like New Jersey. Instances of harassment, intimidation, and bullying (HIB) of Muslim students has increased; however, a true indicator of the prevalence of this issue still alludes us, since many instances go unreported. Background Why should we be concerned about these youth as unique targets of HIB? These students may be newly targeted as events continue unfolding in the ongoing war in the Middle East and Afghanistan. Furthermore, discrimination and hostility can contribute to these youth feeling powerless among their peers and expecting that reported HIB events will go unpunished—and that adults in school will not advocate for them. Another vulnerability stems the fact that many parents from this community may be faced with language and cultural barriers that may prevent them from persisting when schools address HIB inadequately. This is particularly problematic because the very definition of HIB states that the problem is a persistent one. What little evidence we do have on bullying of Muslim youth, indicates that many have experienced negative stereotypes from both peers as well as teachers. Results also suggest that “hijabophobia” is also apparent, that is, girls who wear the traditional hijab, or headscarf, are more vulnerable to discrimination by others (Britto, 2008). Common themes surrounding the bullying include terrorism, the Palestinian-­‐Israeli conflict, and misunderstandings about religious beliefs and practices; many Muslim targets report being called a “terrorist” during these instances (Ansary, 2011). Direct forms of bullying (e.g. physical and verbal attacks) as well as indirect forms, or bullying through social rejection and ostracism, have also been documented for Muslim students (Ansary, 2011). Given the hostility directed at Muslim people, Muslim children may be less preferred socially by their peers, and this may create an even higher risk for bullying due to lack of peer support. What Can Schools Do to Support Muslim and/or Arab-­American Students? At the foundation of any effective anti-­‐bullying program is an emphasis on positive school climate—a climate in which all individuals of the school community feel safe, respected, valued, and are productive members. Mutual respect must be present at all levels of interaction—student-­‐to-­‐student, teacher-­‐to-­‐
student, teacher/administrator-­‐to-­‐teacher/administrator. An integral component of working towards a positive school climate is making extra efforts to include and support marginalized groups in the overall school community and this is particularly true for this population who may be newly targeted due to the ongoing war in this region. Below are some recommendations for ways that schools can attempt to effectively prevent and intervene when Muslim and/or Arab-­‐American youth are targets of HIB. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part B: Bias and Bias-Based
Bullying: The Heart of the Law
Chapter 11: Muslim and Arab-American Youth
46 Prevention 1) Just as other religious holidays are recognized and celebrated at school (documented on school calendar, days off from school, and special events, etc.), so too should Muslim holidays. These include Ramadan (a holy month marked by a daily fast from sunrise to sunset), Eid-­Ul-­Fitr (directly after Ramadan), and Eid-­Ul-­Adha. Recognizing Muslim holidays conveys the message that this group is a respected and valued part of the school community. 2) Schools need to make an effort to support Muslim and/or Arab-­‐American youth by inviting parents to speak to the school community about traditions and practices, especially during these holidays. 3) Training administrators, teachers, and support staff about the religion and culture may help them to recognize and attempt to correct their own biases about this population. When possible, schools should attempt to hire staff that reflects the ethnic and religious backgrounds of the community served. 4) In the course of teaching about the various faiths, schools’ curricula need to accurately portray Islam. In the media, Islam is often portrayed as advocating violence and this distortion contributes to hostility towards Muslims. Schools can help to address this misrepresentation. 5) Perhaps most importantly, schools need to initiate and support Muslim student groups. These groups can then help contribute to items 1, 2, and 4 detailed above. Intervention 1) Administrators, teachers, and support staff need to promptly intervene when name calling like “terrorist” occurs in their presence or is reported by others. This should not be ignored or taken lightly. 2) When HIB occurs and is apparently motivated by the target’s Muslim and or Arab-­‐American status, schools need to investigate and respond efficiently and effectively. This conveys the message to all parties involved-­‐-­‐as well as to the larger school community-­‐-­‐that such behavior is unacceptable. 3) Parents of Muslim and/or Arab-­‐American targets may have language and cultural barriers that make it difficult for them to understand what has happened and what steps the school is taking to respond effectively. It would be helpful to have parent volunteers from the appropriate community who may be willing to assist in translating so that parents can be fully informed and involved. It is critical that schools recognize the unique risk for
HIB of Muslim and/or Arab-American youth
and make every effort to support and protect them.
ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part B: Bias and Bias-Based
Bullying: The Heart of the Law
Chapter 11: Muslim and Arab-American Youth
47 Chapter 12 SIKHISM: THE RELIGION AND THE NEEDS OF SIKH CHILDREN IN SCHOOL Who are Sikhs?
Contributed By Sikh Coalition3 Sikhs are members of an independent religion, stemming from Punjab, a region in South Asia. There are over 23 million Sikhs in the world, making it the fifth largest world religion. Sikhs have been in the United States for over 100 years, and there are thousands of Sikhs that call New Jersey home. Sikhs have a distinct, external appearance to show their commitment to their faith. Sikhs maintain unshorn hair, which Sikh men are required to keep covered with a turban. Some Sikh women also wear turbans, and younger Sikh boys wear a smaller turban, called a patka. Sikhs maintain these articles of faith because they signify commitment to Sikh values. The Sikh articles of faith should always be treated with respect. Sikhs believe there is one God for all people, and that everyone is equal in the eyes of God, irrespective of religion, gender, ethnicity, etc. Sikhs also believe in living and working in an honest way, remembering God on a daily basis, and social justice for humanity. Sikh Students Experience Pervasive Bullying School bullying is widely acknowledged to be a pervasive problem in the United States for Sikh children. In the last few years, Sikh children have experienced a spate of bias-­‐based bullying in the form of physical and verbal assaults, harassment, and intimidation. Sikh youth are targeted for many reasons. Their external appearance makes them stand out, and also after 9/11, Sikh articles of faith, such as the turban, are inappropriately and ignorantly linked with media images of terrorists. Sikh Coalition community surveys taken in New York City reveal that 60% of young Sikh males who maintain turbans/patkas state that they have been harassed and verbally or physically abused because of their faith. 4 Of those children, almost 40% reported being hit or involuntarily touched because of their appearance. 5 Specific examples of bullying that Sikh children have experienced, include: •
•
•
•
Having their religiously-­‐mandated hair forcibly cut; Being punched, pushed, and otherwise physically assaulted; Having their religious headwear forcibly removed or disrespectfully touched; and Routinely being subjected to slurs, such as “terrorist,” “rag-­‐head,”and “Osama” 3 This contributor provides services to schools. See Section III of this Guide for information 4 “Making Our Voices Heard: A Civil Rights Agenda for New York City’s Sikhs,” Sikh Coalition, April 2008, available at http://www.sikhcoalition.org/RaisingOurVoicesReport.pdf. 5 Id. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Section II: Expert Contributions
Effective Strategies for Complying with
Part B: Bias and Bias-Based
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
Bullying: The Heart of the Law
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Chapter 12: Sikhism: The Religion and Schools
48 How Educators Can Address Bullying Against Sikhs Schools have a legal and moral responsibility to ensure that all children—regardless of religion, race, sex, national origin, and sexual orientation—have the right to enjoy a safe and healthy learning environment at school. Specific steps schools can take to prevent and respond to bullying: • Create a Systemic Approach to Address Bullying o All schools should adopt a yearly written plan available to the public on efforts to create a bias-­‐free school. o All schools should have a policy that: 1) defines and prohibits bias-­‐based harassment; 2) lays out the consequences of violating this policy; 3) includes a protocol for filing and addressing bullying complaints; 4) publicizes the protocol among parents and students, including those with limited English proficiency; 5) tracks and monitors action taken to address complaints of bullying and harassment; and 6) periodically reports back to the public the number of bullying complaints filed in the school district. • Educate Students and Staff about Sikhism o According to the Sikh Coalition’s survey, almost two-­‐thirds of Sikh youth believe it would be beneficial if someone came into their school or classroom to talk about Sikhs and Sikh practices. 6 o Schools should ensure that school curricula include a discussion of Sikh history, traditions, and social contributions as a means of reducing bias against Sikhs. o See section below for tips on how the Sikh Coalition can help. • Educate Sikh Parents about their Rights and Responsibilities o Over half of Sikh youth reported that their parents need to be educated about the American schooling system. 7 o Schools should work with Sikh organizations and activists to create culturally sensitive trainings and outreach material that educates Sikh parents about their rights within the school system and the resources available to them to help their children feel safe at school. For example, parents should be informed about the process for filing bullying complaints and be given guidance on identifying signs that their children are being bullied. • Encourage Students to Report Bullying o Sikh youth are often too scared to report bullying and harassment. 40% of Sikh youth surveyed stated that they did not report bullying and harassment to school officials. 8 Schools should encourage students to report all potential incidences of bullying and harassment. 6 Id. 7 Id. 8 Id. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Section II: Expert Contributions
Effective Strategies for Complying with
Part B: Bias and Bias-Based
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
Bullying: The Heart of the Law
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Chapter 12: Sikhism: The Religion and Schools
49 Chapter 13 THE IMPORTANCE OF ADDRESSING ISSUES OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER EXPRESSION, AND GENDER IDENTITY By Carol Watchler and Rena Jacobson, LCSW Co-­Chairs, GLSEN Central New Jersey9 Of all the human differences at the heart of children’s taunts against one another-­-­-­name-­calling that can easily escalate to more serious bullying-­-­-­those based on real or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity are, in today’s schools and community environments, among the most pervasive sources of harassment, intimidation and bullying. In New Jersey A18:37, the Legislature declares that: “A safe and civil environment in school is necessary for students to learn and achieve high academic standards; harassment, intimidation or bullying, like other disruptive or violent behaviors, is conduct that disrupts both a student’s ability to learn and a school’s ability to educate its students in a safe environment.” The declaration continues: “[S]ince students learn by example, school administrators, faculty, staff and volunteers should be commended for demonstrating appropriate behavior, treating others with civility and respect, and refusing to tolerate harassment, intimidation of bullying.” The law defines bullying to include actions “reasonably perceived as being motivated either by any actual or perceived characteristic, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or a mental, physical or sensory disability, or by any other distinguishing characteristic” Under the law, schools are explicitly responsible for preventing bullying based on a students’ actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression According to the 2009 GLSEN National School Climate Survey10 • 89% of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students surveyed heard the word “gay” used in a negative way. • 62% felt unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation and 40% because of how they expressed their gender • 40% were physically harassed because of sexual orientation, 27% because of their gender identity • 19% were physical assaulted because of their sexual orientation, 12% because of their gender identity. • 62% of student who were harassed or assaulted in school did not report the incident to school staff, believing little to no action would be taken or the situation could become worse if reported.; and 34% of those who did report said that school staff did nothing in response. In New Jersey schools The 2009 GLSEN Research Brief reporting on “School Climate in New Jersey” shows that the above national figures hold true in New Jersey and also reports that 27% of students regularly heard school staff make negative remarks about someone’s gender expression and 21% regularly heard school staff make homophobic remarks. 9 This contributor provides services to schools. See Section III of this Guide for information 10 Kosciw, J. G., Greytak, E. A., Diaz, E. M., and Bartkiewicz, M. J. 2010. The 2009 National School Climate Survey: The experience of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth in our nation’s schools. New York: GLSEN, The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Section II: Expert Contributions
Effective Strategies for Complying with
Part B: Bias and Bias-Based
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
Bullying: The Heart of the Law
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org Chapter 13: Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity
50 Students who identify as LGBT or questioning or who have a person they care about who is LGBT are particularly vulnerable to the impact of a negative school climate and more likely to experience decreased school attendance, decreased academic achievement, and lowered aspirations for continuing education after high school. However, all students suffer from anti-­LGBT harassment. In an American Association of University Women study: • 36% of all students report being called “gay” or “lesbian” in school • Many students who are harassed as “gay” identify as heterosexual • Among boys, no other type of sexual harassment, including actual physical abuse, provokes as strong a reaction Creating a safe environment is important at all ages: Issues of gender and sexual orientation can and must be addressed, in age appropriate ways Children at each developmental age must grapple with an understanding of who they are-­-­-­including their gender identity and sexual orientation. As each child moves through the maze of possibilities to clearer insights into themselves, they are often confronted with the demeaning language frequently directed at persons who step outside narrow gender stereotypes. Every child has pressures to deal with these environmental influences. Youngsters must face the question, “Is that me?” They often act on their answer to the question, "How can I prove that the ridiculed and despised identity is not me?” by engaging in anti-­
LGBT name-­calling and harassment. . Even students who are comfortable with who they are have the dilemma of whether to join or resist the anti-­gay mocking, teasing, and harassment that can lead to bullying. All students need the guidance of school staff and other adults to provide them with models of respect for all types of diversity including sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. Part of this guidance must include teachings that give skills for being an upstander instead of a bystander. THAT’S SO GAY! FAGGOT! HOMO! DYKE! What is your school environment like? What is the attitude of students and adults in the hallways? How would students and teachers describe your school climate? Do students feel safe and respected in your school? New Jersey’s new law, the Students Anti-­Bullying Bill of Rights, requires that school districts implement policies prohibiting harassment, intimidation and bullying. A necessary part of the creation of an effective anti-­bullying program in each school district is the inclusion of steps to ensure respect for all regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. Effective planning, staff development, and student education are critical steps in bringing about a safe climate for all whose lives are touched by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender concerns. One of the goals of this law is to create a school climate and culture where every child feels safe and respected. When a school system develops a climate that fosters positive school culture and encourages respect for all, children attend regularly, learn better, and have more positive self-­‐esteem. Each school district must provide the training needed to ensure a safe school climate for all regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Section II: Expert Contributions
Effective Strategies for Complying with
Part B: Bias and Bias-Based
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
Bullying: The Heart of the Law
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org Chapter 13: Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity
51 It is the responsibility of the adults and administrators of the school to define the climate. This is generally described as the feel of a school’s atmosphere. Adults showing a genuine concern for individual students, consistently using positive reinforcement, and responding to bullying behaviors in a respectful manner strengthens the climate. With a strong and positive school climate, a strong and positive culture will develop. The adults are the role models School culture reflects attitudes, beliefs, values, and norms, including how we related to one another at this school. Make sure your school climate and culture clearly reflect an accepting and understanding attitude of all diversity. In this past year our country witnessed several tragic deaths of teens because of harassment and bullying regarding their sexual orientation/gender identity that was not appropriately or effectively addressed by school systems. Make sure your school develops an effective anti-­‐bullying policy and program that will help prevent another tragedy.
Making schools safe for LGBT students makes schools safer for ALL students. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Section II: Expert Contributions
Effective Strategies for Complying with
Part B: Bias and Bias-Based
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
Bullying: The Heart of the Law
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org Chapter 13: Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity
52 Photo reproduced and names provided with permission of the students pictured, all of whom are 18 or older. Rights Reserved, Dr. Paula C. Rodriguez Rust Linden High School Seniors participated in a special program Pass The Message On
organized by Karen Positan of the Union County Human Relations Commission and Dr. Paula C. Rodríguez Rust of Spectrum Diversity LLC. They and their classmates wrote poetry and prose about bullying, and visited elementary and middle schools in their district to “pass the message on” about bullying and bias to younger students. In alphabetical order: Vanessa Castrillón Elijah Hodge Marcus Leak Symphonie Newsom Brian Turczmonovicz ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part B: Bias and Bias-Based
Bullying: The Heart of the Law
53 Part C: Mental Health and Law Enforcement Issues Rights Reserved by Dr. Rodríguez Rust on behalf of the students who produced and appear in this poster The Effects of Bullying This is one in a series of posters made by students in Mr. Howard Polenberg’s Graphic Arts class at the Brick Center of the Ocean County VocTech District, in the hope that they would help teach other students about the effects of bullying and bias. Poster used with the permission of Priscilla, Mark Salerno, Marilyn, Alex, Jenna, and Shelby. Although students gave permission for the use of their full names in credits, last names of those under 18 at the time are withheld. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part C: Mental Health
and Law Enforcement
54 ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part C: Mental Health
and Law Enforcement
55 Chapter 14 CRISIS INTERVENTION WITH VICTIMS OF BULLYING, AND WITH THE BULLY, IN SCHOOLS By Nancy Saxton-­Lopez, LCSW, DCSW, and Peter Pastras, LCSW, DCSW of Clinical Services Management, P.C. There are a series of preparatory steps that are necessary for schools to proactively respond to the mental health needs of students involved in bullying behaviors. All participants (e.g.; the bully, accomplices, victims and witnesses) are potentially at risk of psychological reactions to the events and repercussions of systematic abusive behaviors. The school district plan for intervention in bullying behavior should include a process for the training of teachers, administrators and school counselors in the following: 1. awareness of the schools policies and procedures for identification and intervention into bullying behavior; 2. recognition of mental health related conditions and issues for all relevant personnel; 3. specialized training for key respondents including the schools crisis management team and other counseling personnel. When an act of bullying occurs (any form of physical, verbal or emotional abuse); the person being bullied (by self-­‐report or witnessed) can be helped by the following: •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Crisis intervention by trained school personnel to find out what happened; do a preliminary mental health status and history of the problematic interactions. Referral to the school nurse and/or Emergency Room if necessary Immediate contact with parents or other caregivers Referral to behavioral health professionals if deemed appropriate (especially for those students at high-­‐risk to begin with because of emotional/behavioral issues or difficult family problems) Development with the school, family and behavioral health professionals of a re-­‐entry plan Identification of girlfriend/boyfriend, close friends, teammates, or others who have a relationship with the victim to respond to if necessary or requested. Identification of other school personnel who have a relationship with the victim On-­‐going contact to the victim if out of school for a period of time by a designated school counselor Potential outreach to special student groups (i.e. gay and lesbian; different cultural or racial groups; weight watchers, etc.) Intervention with those responsible (the bully and/or accomplices) for the bullying (if known or can be ascertained from the victim) will include: •
•
•
•
Meeting with designated school administration and trained school personnel to discuss incident and disciplinary actions Immediate contact with parents or other caregivers Referral to a bullying program (and/or behavioral health professionals) On-­‐going meetings with school counselors on appropriate behaviors before and after the victim has returned to school Awareness of mental health issues, and the proper recognition of student needs and appropriate referrals to mental health professionals can aid in addressing bullying in schools. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part C: Mental Health
and Law Enforcement
Chapter 14: Crisis Intervention
56 Chapter 15 BULLYING AND STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: PROTECTING THE MOST VULNERABLE By Theodore Petti, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry, Director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, RWJMS-­UMDNJ Youngsters get bullied for various reasons. Bullies often choose victims whom they believe do not fit in because of the way that they look, act, their race or religion, or perceived sexual orientation. Because students with mental illness and other disabilities are vulnerable to bullying, it is important that schools educate other students about mental illnesses, so that they will understand, not fear students with mental illness, and therefore be less likely to bully and exclude them. Psychiatric illness generally is chronic, much like asthma and diabetes. However unlike other medical illnesses, there is a definite stigma associated with having a psychiatric disorder. Moreover, children and teens with mental illness often look and act differently than their peers. They are Students with mental illnesses often unable to defend themselves when anxious, depressed or other disabilities are often or suffer from a pervasive developmental disorder, are targeted by bullies frequently more cautious or sensitive than others, and engage in self-­‐blame. Peers may avoid them because they are different and children and . teens with mental illness become increasingly vulnerable in their relative isolation. Even with comprehensive services, many youth with mental illness remain different and cannot simply be “fixed.” Thus, it is imperative that school personnel be aware of youth with emotional problems and their risk of becoming victims of bullies. There are many potential interventions available to school staff to assist the youngsters with a psychiatric illness who may be The stigma of mental illness in mainstream or special classes. These include observing for makes these students changes in special needs children To reduce the particularly vulnerable, and at risk for bullying or being vulnerability of they are often not able to bullied. Decreasing the stigma students w
ith m
ental defend themselves socially associated with mental illness illness, other students as or psychologically through the educational process well as staff need to be is critical. It is important that educated about mental school staff from the highest administrative levels to teaching staff, illness, to reduce fear and those who are engaged in support services be aware of how and misunderstanding, vulnerable these children are, how much they may be able to and promote acceptance contribute to the school’s mission by emphasizing their strengths and and empathy. planning for the difficulties they may experience through the IEP or special accommodations, and actively including them within the structure and process of the life of the school. Once school personnel are aware of the risk of bullying behavior, observe or learn of a youngster being bullied or engaging in bullying behavior, it will be helpful for the youngster to be advised to seek help from school staff, to talk about it to trusted adult or friend, to ignore and walk away, and to hold the anger until it can be addressed appropriately. They should be advised to not get physical with the bully, to practice feeling good about them self, to develop skills to build self-­‐confidence and true friends for support. When a student’s decrease in academic functioning or change in behavior or appearance are noted, school personnel should consider whether there is a developing mental illness and/or the student is responding to bullying, whether it is physical, emotional, or cyber bullying. Much can be done to assist the youngster with mental illness or the child who has become a bully or victim of bullying. The first obligation of school folks is to be aware of the situation and the opportunity for intervention. Families should also be encouraged to become part of the solution. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part C: Mental Health
and Law Enforcement
Chapter 15: Bullying and Disabilities
57 Chapter 16 IDENTIFYING MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS IN BULLIES, VICTIMS AND BYSTANDERS: WHEN IN DOUBT-­ REACH OUT! By Nanci Lebowitz-­Naegeli, M.D., President-­elect, New Jersey Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Current anti-­‐bullying laws are not specific on how to address the mental health needs of bullies, victims and bystanders or when to refer to mental health experts outside of the school. Research shows that bullies and victims are at higher risk for emotional and behavioral problems such as anxiety, depression, declining academic performance, truancy, eating disorders and suicide. In fact, students at highest risk are the “victim-­‐bullies”, those students who were victims of bullying who then go on to bully others. The laws mandate response to bullying incidents in a timely fashion. As a part of this response, those involved in bullying incidents need to be carefully screened for mental health issues. Students who have been involved in bullying incidents are at higher risk for developing psychiatric and behavioral disorders. Those with pre-­‐existing mental health issues are also more likely to be involved, either as targets of bullying or as bullies. However, care must be taken to Not all students involved in not unnecessarily pathologize students. Some bullying as bullies or as targets reports show that close to 50% of all students are have mental health issues, but involved in some form of bullying and clearly not all they are at higher risk, and of those have a psychiatric diagnosis. Therefore, it is proper screening can identify essential that proper screening occurs to sort out those who need follow-­‐up with a trained mental those who do need mental health clinician from those for whom school health interventions. intervention is enough. As a part of a school’s intervention for a bullying incident, the victim, bully and possibly witnesses, should be spoken to separately. Although a formal screening tool is unnecessary, the students involved should be asked questions about depression, anxiety, a decrease in school attendance, a decrease in grades or class participation, self-­‐harm behaviors, drug or alcohol use, eating symptoms and suicidal thinking. In addition, it is important to ask about peer and family support and use of electronic communication and social networking. It is also helpful to get input from teachers about changes in classroom behavior, as victims can become more withdrawn or at times argumentative, and bullying behavior can sometimes be a part of larger problems with disruptive behavior or other emotional problems. Peers, when approached discreetly, can also be helpful sources of information. In particular, counselors should look for the degree and duration of impairment and distress a student is experiencing. Endorsement of any of the above problems warrants a discussion with the parents to refer the student to a mental health practitioner. It would be helpful for schools to have a list of clinicians to whom they can refer. The New Jersey Council for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (NJCCAP) website has a directory that can be searched to find local providers at www.aacap.org/cs/njccap. Some schools have identified a specific community expert with whom they consult to help them problem-­‐solve about whether a referral is warranted as well as to identify specific interventions. Other school districts may have a district-­‐side consultant. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part C: Mental Health
and Law Enforcement
Chapter 16: Identifying Mental Health Needs
58 As outlined above, nearly 50% of all students report being involved with bullying at one point in time or another. Approximately 10% are bullied on a regular basis. There should be a low threshold for referral for those who are involved in repeated incidents of bullying as the risk for social and emotional problems increases rapidly with repeated incidents. Although one should not automatically assume mental health problems, it is better to err on the side of caution, and let a mental health clinician evaluate and determine the need for additional services. Schools sometimes unintentionally overlook the needs of victims and bullies. In an effort to support the victim, and not “blame” them for the behavior of the bully, they sometimes miss issues that are going on with the The needs of both bullies and victims are student either prior to the incident sometimes unintentionally overlooked by or as a result. Schools’ stance toward school personnel, ironically, as a result of bullies is often punitive and thus efforts to take bullying seriously. The mental their mental health needs are also frequently overlooked. They focus health needs of targets can be overlooked in on consequences for the bully, but an effort to avoid “blaming” the target for the may miss signs of greater behavioral bullying, and the needs of bullies can be or emotional disturbance. It is overlooked if schools take a narrow punitive certainly important for bullies to approach to bullying behavior. have clear consequences for their behavior. However, it is no less important to identify their mental health needs. Bullies are at higher risk for school dropout, delinquency, depression, substance abuse and suicide. They are more likely to have experienced violence or bullying at home and/or have other family problems. Thus, bullies should undergo the same screening for mental health referral as described above for the victims. The new bullying laws give guidelines for addressing bullying in schools, but don’t offer specific suggestions as to when to consider referral to an outside mental health clinician. Children involved in bullying, whether as victims, bullies or even bystanders, are at increased risk for social and emotional problems. Schools have both the unique opportunity and responsibility to their students to assess for unrecognized mental health concerns and can make a potentially life altering intervention for these children by referring for further evaluation and possible treatment. Remember, when in doubt, reach out! ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part C: Mental Health
and Law Enforcement
Chapter 16: Identifying Mental Health Needs
59 Chapter 17 The Traumatic Loss Coalition has issued the following GUIDELINES FOR TALKING TO STUDENTS ABOUT SUICIDE IN THE CONTEXT OF ANTI-­BULLYING PROGRAMS11 The new anti-­‐bullying law (P.L.2010, Ch.122) has been signed, which calls for the implementation of new policies, protocols and programming for schools, beginning in the 2011-­‐12 school year. We are all aware of the recent publicity surrounding youth who have taken their lives in the past few months in New Jersey and around the country. The communications media have often included sensationalized headlines and stories that report a direct causal link between bullying and the resultant suicides of youth; however, these reports simplify the relationship and may inadvertently suggest that any bullying results in suicidal behavior. Therefore, the information below is being provided to assist you in determining strategies to avoid and those to consider in addressing these important subjects. It is natural that in our quest to stop harmful behaviors such as bullying we are drawn to use powerful statements and evocative images to drive home the point that unkind words and actions can be quite hurtful and distressing to the recipient. However, using stories of youth who have been bullied and then taken their lives as a vehicle for these messages can be dangerous and counterproductive. Some examples of the risky use of stories and other strategies are provided below: • Using stories, pictures or biographies of youth who were bullied and subsequently killed themselves can inadvertently send a message to vulnerable youth that says: “When you are being bullied, suicide is a way to deal with the problem.” Youth who are struggling with suicidal thoughts interpret these stories in a different way than youth who are not at risk for suicide. The trouble is adults do not always know who these at-­‐risk youth are. •
Closely connecting bullying and suicide gives the message that bullying is a direct and main cause of suicide. Suicide is a complicated behavior, with multifaceted causes. To make an overly simplistic link between bullying and suicide is erroneous. This kind of incorrect messaging about the causes of suicide can inadvertently influence other vulnerable youth to imitate the behavior. •
Also, in talking about suicide in these simplistic cause and effect ways, we miss an important opportunity to inform students about the diverse underlying causes of suicide (such as the presence of depression or other mental health problems at the time of the suicide). It prevents us from disseminating information that these problems are very treatable and can result in individuals feeling better and able to find healthy solutions to their problems. Last, there is ample evidence that inappropriate messaging about suicide can have untoward consequences. National and international recommendations for media reports of suicide have been developed, which argue against the types of messages that seem to have emerged in some anti-­‐bullying programs and messages. (See the document: Reporting on Suicide: Recommendations for the Media which can be accessed on the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website at www.afsp.org). 11 Published as “Guidelines in Selecting Anti-­‐Bullying Programs” in the newsletter of the Traumatic Loss Coalitions for Youth, Spring, 2011. Reprinted with permission. The Traumatic Loss Coalition offers services to schools. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Section II: Expert Contributions
Effective Strategies for Complying with
Part C: Mental Health
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
and Law Enforcement
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Chapter 17: Talking about Suicide
60 Suggested Guidelines for Selecting Programs or Approaches As you begin planning anti-­‐bullying programs for your staff and your students, you are encouraged to choose carefully. The following points, while not an exhaustive list, are important considerations for your decision making: •
Avoid programs that send the message that bullying is a direct and main cause of suicide •
Avoid videos that graphically depict suicidal behavior of bullied youth. These kinds of videos can be dangerous and can lead to imitative behavior in vulnerable youth, even when they are only one component of a program or approach •
Select programs that focus on sensitizing youth to the hurtful effects of words and behaviors and that teach empathy •
Choose programs that help youth become more tolerant of diversity and that help them celebrate our unique differences •
Choose programs that encourage youth to increase positive behaviors, such as practicing random acts of kindness instead of engaging in social interactions that are mean-­‐spirited •
Initiate programs that empower all youth through strength-­‐based messaging that encourages them to reach out to others when they are being bullied or when they are struggling with an emotional crisis of any kind •
Use programming that helps change the culture of silence and challenges the beliefs that asking for help is a sign of weakness, nothing or no one can help or adults will never understand •
Connect youth with caring adults by helping them identify who they are and how to access their help •
Choose programs or approaches that systematically aid in assessing and improving both school culture (i.e., the way things are done) and school climate (i.e., how people feel when these things are done) •
Choose programs that take a “whole-­‐school” approach – one that acknowledges that bullying and school climate involve adult to adult, student to adult and student to student relationships •
Choose programs that actively and meaningfully include youth and parents in program planning, implementation and evaluation. It is hoped that this information will provide you with some useful parameters as you determine school-­‐based bullying prevention strategies. Please send this information to anyone that would benefit from its content. If you have any questions about the appropriateness of any programming you are considering, please do not hesitate to call your Traumatic Loss Coalition (TLC) County Coordinator or the TLC main office for assistance.
ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part C: Mental Health
and Law Enforcement
Chapter 17: Talking about Suicide
61 Chapter 18: ADVICE FOR WORKING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT WHEN ADDRESSING SCHOOL BULLYING By Detective Richard Cocca #33, Juvenile Detective, Roselle Park Police Dept. Relations between schools and law enforcement are governed by the Uniform State Memorandum of Agreement between Education and Law Enforcement Officials. However, in working with schools to address bullying, when responding to incidents in schools, and when receiving reports of school incidents from schools and parents, the efforts of law enforcement officers are facilitated when all school personnel are aware of some basic guidelines. Two of the biggest challenges Juvenile Detectives face is the timely fashion in which things are reported, and how they have been handled before law enforcement arrives. For instance, if an assault occurs in the school, sometimes school personnel keep it in house and the police might not ever hear about it. However, if that same student that was assaulted, gets into another fight after school or gets seriously hurt, these subsequent incidents could have been prevented if the school had informed the local police department. Through my experience as a Juvenile Detective, I have learned that the schools have a strict confidentiality policy about what information can be released. This sometimes gets in the way of reporting things to Law Enforcement. One good thing I have established with my schools, is a close working relationship and partnership between all seven schools in Roselle Park. When a teacher reports something to the Staff, the Staff will give me a call and run the incident by me. I will then make a decision to see if it should be investigated by the Police. This helps out a lot during the school year. 80% of the incidents that occur are stopped before they lead to larger problems outside of school. I also visit the schools and stay involved with teachers and staff. This also provides a lot of useful information about things that are going on within the school. Local Police should establish a good relationship with the schools; this is especially important for SRO's and Juvenile Detectives. The other issue I see going on in school, is that Staff sometimes become too involved in certain incidents, and conduct investigations that should be conducted by Police. Often when the Police are called to a school, the officer arriving has a full report including written statements from the parties involved. As the school staff may find this helpful for their reporting, it could jeopardize the investigation on the Police end. Often all the work conducted by the school cannot be used as case evidence, because it goes against Agency/Attorney General guidelines. Thus it is best practice for the school to call the local Police as soon as an incident occurs, and if there is any question let the local Police Agency make the call on the reporting and investigation process. As a recap I recommend the following to schools: • Report any signs of bullying or assaults as soon as possible to local Police • Don’t question parties involved or take written statements if there is any suspicion that a crime has occurred. Call Police right away and let them conduct a formal investigation. • Any cyber bullying brought to the school’s attention, should be reported to police • All incidents should be reported as soon as they happen. A delay in reporting incidents can delay valuable investigation time and recovering of evidence. • Schools should also have the parents of the parties involved present when Law Enforcement arrives. • When in doubt about an incident Call the the Police! ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part C: Mental Health
and Law Enforcement
Chapter 18: Working with Law Enforcement
62 Chapter 19 “STRAIGHT TALK” THE DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN BULLYING AND GANGS17 By Michael DeLeon, President, Steered Straight, Inc. In New Jersey, where the Anti-­‐Bullying Bill of Rights serves as the nation’s toughest stance on bullying, bullying must be understood as related to gangs and gang activity. There is such a clear relationship between bullying and youth involvement in gangs, that this angle must be addressed. It must be addressed not only to students, but to educators, parents and the community at large. While involvement in traditional school bullying is much more common than the extreme case of intimidation and harassment, the line is quickly fading as students become desensitized about the effects that their behavior has on other people. While Involvement in delinquent youth groups is much more common than involvement in street gangs, youth in street gangs are disproportionately responsible for not only the violent activity in our communities, but the effects their criminal activity have on other students and the community at large. Gangs must be discussed when talking about bullying because as gangs grow, bullying increases. With gang migration, this is becoming even more valid as suburban and rural youth become more and more desensitized to the consequences of joining gangs. Media and social culture create a sense that gangs are normal. They view bullying as normal as well. This becomes more and more dangerous creating not only copy-­‐cat gangs but copy-­‐cat cliques where bullying festers and mob mentality buttress the acceptance of bias in school. Gangs are even at the root cause of much of the bullying. The Solution for this angle is a systemic approach utilizing messengers that have intense gang experience as well as an educational message about understanding our differences, understanding consequences to others as well as ourselves, and understanding bias. These are aspects of gangs that are also characteristics of bullying. The core belief is the same. There is a core breakdown of the family and risk factors increase. Gang involvement is a misunderstood means of filling a void or validating that bullying and gangs is normal. They often even go hand in hand. We need our youth to understand that there are consequences to involvement in bullying as well as gangs. We need our youth to understand that there are long-­‐term effects for everyone involved. Bullying Prevention needs to address Gang Prevention. ___________________________________________________________ 17. This contributor provides services to schools. See Section III of this Guide for more information. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Section II: Expert Contributions
Effective Strategies for Complying with
Part C: Mental Health
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
and Law Enforcement
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Chapter 19: Bullying and Gangs
63 Section III: Contributing Organizations ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter 9: Facilitating Success
64 ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter 9: Facilitating Success
65 Paula C. Rodríguez Rust, PhD
Sociologist
Comprehensive Bullying Prevention Program
Development and Bias Awareness Education
• Consulting • Professional Development •
• Student Assemblies • Parent Workshops •
• Staff, Parent, and Student Surveys •
• Workshops for All School Staff •
• School “Safety Team” Guidance •
NEW JERSEY BASED
SERVICES
Designed to help
schools comply with
New Jersey law,
meeting the needs of
students in New Jersey
EVIDENCE-BASED
STRATEGIES AND
APPROACHES
Spectrum Diversity sometimes partners with other organizations to bring the best combination of services to each school A Student Assembly about Respect and the Power of Words
Assemblies for Grades K-3, 4-6, 7-8, and 9-12, focusing on issues relevant for each age group
Many young people—as young as age 11—
were victims of bullying or cyber bullying that ended in serious injury or death. Many other students suffer through each day because they are bullied for their weight, their clothes, their cultural practices, their race or religion, their sexual orientation or gender expression, their level of academic or physical ability or physical attractiveness, and for many other reasons. “Aim Higher” challenges students to think about respect for others across differences, and about how their words and actions affect others. Students learn how they can help make their school environment one in which difference is valued, in which students feel responsible for each other’s well-­being, and in which all students feel safe, welcome, and respected. DrPaula@SpectrumDiversity.org www.SpectrumDiversity.org (732)-­‐735-­‐7209 ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
ACES Founding Partner
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview
of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter 9: Facilitating Success
66 Steered Straight, Inc.
***
Unique Messengers
“Straight Talk”
Anti-Bullying
Presentations
Drug & Alcohol Aw areness Sem inars
Professional Developm ent W orkshops
Youth Sports Cam ps
TAG “Truth About Gangs”
Thomas Tapeh Hank Poteat What Makes Steered Straight Unique: • Powerful, unique messages that literally captivate audiences • Skilled motivational speakers with real life experience • Unique tie-­in to Gangs and how they correlate to bullying • Option to have Professional NFL Players relating Life Lessons to bullying • Based on REBT, CBT, and Best Practices What audience members will gain from these seminars and presentations: • Better understanding about consequences of bullying • Completely unique message about what bullying actually is • More identifiable assemblies from real-­life messengers • Message resonates long after the assemblies and presentations are over For more information, visit our website: www.steeredstraight.org For more information on seminars, presentations or sports camps, email: programs@steeredstraight.org or call Michael DeLeon at -­ 856-­691-­6676 P.O. Box 842 Millville, New Jersey 08332
ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
A: Overview
of Bullying
ACES Part
Founding Partner
Prevention and Response
Chapter 9: Facilitating
Success
67 GLSEN Central New Jersey
P.O. Box 261, Hightstown, NJ 08520
GAY, LESBIAN & STRAIGHT
EDUCATION NETWORK The GLSEN MISSION 609-448-8243
cnj@njglsen.org
www.glsen.org/centralnj The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network strives to assure that each member of every school community is valued and respected regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression, and to develop school climates in which difference is valued. We believe that such an atmosphere engenders a positive sense of self, which is the basis of educational achievement and personal growth. We recognize that forces such as racism and sexism have similarly adverse impacts on communities and we support schools in seeking to redress all such inequities. GLSEN RECOMMENDS Schools Take FOUR STEPS to address anti-­LGBT bullying and harassment. 1. Adopt and implement a COMPREHENSIVE ANTI-­‐BULLYING POLICY as required by NJ law 2. REQUIRE STAFF TRAININGS to enable school staff to identify and address anti-­‐LBGT name-­‐calling, bullying, and harassment effectively. 3. SUPPORT STUDENT EFFORTS to address anti-­‐LGBT harassment such as the establishment of a GAY STRAIGHT ALLIANCE. 4. INSTITUTE AGE-­‐APPROPRIATE, INCLUSIVE CURRICULA to help students understand and respect difference within the school community and society as a whole. GLSEN’s Educator Training Program is A nationally recognized training program specifically focused on ensuring LGBT student safety. We can successfully prepare school staff for their role in maintaining a welcoming and safe environment for all students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression GLSEN Central New Jersey offers: •
•
•
Consultation on issues schools face regarding sexual orientation and gender identity/expression Training for all staff on best practices in reducing anti-­‐LGBT bullying and harassment Presentations for students, parent organizations and community groups GLSEN RESOURCES include: • GLSEN Safe Schools Kit. Purchase a full set of materials at www.glsenstore.org or download kit from www.glsen.org website. • www.nonamecallingweek.org -­‐ in January includes the NNCW Creative Expression Contest Campaign to change demeaning language, www.ThinkB4YouSpeak.com • Ally Week and other opportunities for students organizing to bring about safe and welcoming climate: www.allyweek.org • Jumpstart guide to the formation of Gay Straight Alliances at www.njglsen.org ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter
9: P
Facilitating
ACES artner Success
68 lynnekidsbridge@aol.com www.kidsbridgemuseum.org ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
Chapter
9: Facilitating
Success
ACES Partner
69 Presented by: Sgt. Thomas M. Rich
Owner/Creator of Always Connected.org
Our workshops bring CYBER BULLYING SOLUTIONS and are taught by a certified
police officer who brings his real life case work and experience to life. Having done over
100 presentations and spoken to over 30,000 children within the last 3 years, Sgt. Thomas
Rich has become known as the “cyber bullying expert” that is making a difference in
the lives of children one school at a time.
• The topics covered are texting, sexting, Facebook and Formspring.me.
• The presentations examine how these forms of technology are affecting our
youth everyday and how it is making it easier to be mean to each other. They
delve into real life examples of cyber-bullying and the dangers of on-line
chatting.
• It will also take an in depth look at Facebook profiles and explain the pitfalls and
how to protect yourself through privacy settings.
• It examines formspring.me <http://formspring.me/> and how this website really
is causing major problems with bullying in our schools across the nation.
• Then it is all tied in showing how these forms of communication can be used in
moderation and positively by our youth.
Teaching solutions to all of the issues listed above is the goal. Using entertaining videos,
positive solutions and engaging the audience with high energy presentations brings out
incredible results!!!
Assemblies are done for Middle School and High School students as well as parents.
Professional development trainings are done for teachers, administrators, youth workers
and all personnel who deal with our youth. Sgt. Thomas Rich was recently featured on Good
Morning America and the Nancy Grace Show. He also has been a featured speaker at
conventions all over the country, most recently in Atlantic City, NJ for the Annual DARE
Convention and the New Jersey Juvenile Officer Associations Convention.
Visit www.alwaysconnected.org <http://www.alwaysconnected.org/> for more information!
ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention and Response
ACES Partner
Chapter 9: Facilitating Success
70 Would you like someone to do a presentation
on Sikhs in your school?
If so, contact the Sikh Coalition today!
The Sikh Coalition has trained over two dozen Sikhs in the tri-­‐state area to deliver Sikh Awareness presentations in schools. If you would like to set up a presentation in your school, please email education@sikhcoalition.org or call 212.655.3095 X 88. Sikh Coalition Resources Available to Prevent Bullying In order to dispel myths and stereotypes about the Sikh faith and increase awareness about Sikhs in general, the Sikh Coalition frequently delivers ‘Sikh Awareness’ presentations in schools around the country. If you are interested in a presentation, please contact education@sikhcoalition.org. For lesson plans, videos, and other teaching resources, please visit http://www.khalsakids.org/teachers.php. We have also worked with the New Jersey Board of Education to include Sikhism in the Social Studies Content Standards. Now, all middle school students in the state will learn about Sikhism alongside the other major world religions. By proactively educating students about Sikh religious practices (e.g. why Sikhs wear a turban and keep their hair long), we hope to eliminate bias-­‐based bullying and harassment against Sikh students. ACES for Bullying Prevention, June 9, 2011 Effective Strategies for Complying with
New Jersey Laws Related to School Bullying
http://www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org
Section II: Expert Contributions
Part A: Overview of Bullying
Prevention
and Response
ACES Partner
Chapter 9: Facilitating Success
71 72 www.ACESforBullyingPrevention.org