Anti-Bullying Facebook Post Influences Change

A father in Wisconsin has inspired bullying reform after defending his victimized son in an internet post that went viral. Mathew Bent, posted a photo with a powerful message that defends bullying victims and condemns schools that take little action against perpetrators. After receiving significant attention, this message has caught the eye of the local school district that now plans to increase anti-bullying programs and strengthen support for victims. Serious consequences due to failure to take action have occurred in nearly every community. The power of one individual’s message echoes throughout the country and proves that anyone can take a stand and make a difference.      

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TV Networks Join ATF Against Bullying

Cartoon Network and CNN are teaming up with long time bullying prevention advocates, ATF, to launch anti-bullying Campaign. “Stop Bullying: Speak Up” is the latest project by these three organizations that have begun assembling bullying prevention kits containing various tools for students, teachers, and parents.

Young Boy Spends Prize Money on Anti-Bullying Campaign

11 year old Jeromy Rodriguez believes so strongly in fighting bullying that he is using his competition prize money to fund an awareness campaign. “Stop The Bullying” is Jeromy’s project inspired by witnessing heartbreaking instances of bullying he swore he would help fight. Jeromy had no sponsor to make his idea a reality until he was awarded $10,000 in prize money from the Calypso Monarch Competition he plans to use for a video production and a t-shirt line. With this money, the campaign can help spread bullying awareness and gain additional sponsors and spokesman. All it takes to help the fight against bullying is a passionate idea and a little luck to support it. 

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Iowa Student Sues School over Bullying Negligence

Bullying takes place in almost every school across the country, but are staff members doing enough to prevent it? One Iowa student does not think so. Recently, a teen and his grandmother in Des Moines are filing a lawsuit against his school district claiming staff officials did not take sufficient actions to punish bullies who caused him brain injuries after he was struck by a football. The district claims all bullying reports are investigated and defends their position in this instance.

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Mobile App Technology Aids the Fight Against Bullying

Today’s age of mobile technology has created a modern bully whose tools of torment have become cell phones and the internet, but now the technology that has once enabled bullies has become a force in the fight against them. Crime Stoppers have donated free mobile technology called TipSoft to schools as a program for students to anonymously report bullying, drugs, and crimes to teachers and staff. This is a huge step forward for many schools that have employed this method because students in the past have been hesitant to report wrong-doings out of fear that they may become a target. Now, students can help by anonymously reporting bullies and disarm them with the very technology that has previously enabled torment of others. 

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Bullying Victim Seeks Refuge In Music

Emmanuela is a 13 year old victim of bullying who now uses music to gain social belonging in her hostile school environment. As an autistic teen, Emmanuela faces regular torment from her peers who do not understand her differences and have labeled her as an outcast. It has created serious emotional issues on top of her pre-existing and misunderstood condition, but she has now gained acceptance in school music programs. Often times, music has been used to treat depression and emotional instability in many different cases, including autism, and has been shown to stimulate many different areas of the brain and improve depression. In addition to the scientific benefits of music, Emmanuela has found a social group and the acceptance and understanding every teen deserves.

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Students Using Their Talent To Stop Bullying

Five students from the Royal Oak High School in Royal Oak, Michigan used their artwork to inspire change.  High school junior Austin Carter's winning poster has gained media attention.   When asked about his work Austin said, "I wanted to show that we're all different but we have this connection, and we shouldn't bully each other and disconnect the puzzle."

This anti-bullying poster contest encourages students to show kindness toward one another and has a clear anti-bullying message.  Teichow, teacher at the high school and a leader on the anti-bullying committe went on to say, "The contest is obviously to raise awareness, bullying, including cyber-bullying, is just crazy. There were 37 entries and the three of us picked the top five. We interviewed the students about their vision and we thought their ideas were fantastic. It made it that much more difficult to pick a winner."

The poster contest worked as it brought anti-bullying to the forefront and got students involved.  This is a great idea to put in place at all schools.

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