BULLYING

It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt, right?

Wrong.

It's never fun and games. Let's reflect back on the story of Phoebe Prince from 2010. A 15 year old girl moved to Masschusetts from Ireland. She began dating a senior, and soon after the bullying began. But she dealt with it, and tried to ignore it until one day, she couldn't take anymore. Her bullies drove by her while she was walking home, yelled insults, and threw an energy drink at her. She went home and committed suicide. Her 12 year old sister found her.

Five months later in May 2010, Governor Deval Patrick signed an anti-bullying law. Massachusetts was the 42nd state to pass a law like this.

So what exactly does is this law about?

First, the law defines bullying:

"Bullying", the repeated use by one or more students of a written, verbal or electronic expression or a physical act of gesture or any combination thereof, directed at a victim that: (i) causes physical or emotional harm to the victim or damage to the victim's property; (ii) places the victim in reasonable fear of harm to himself or of damage to his property; (iii) creates a hostile environment at school for the victim; (iv) infringes on the rights of the victim at school; or (v) materially and substantially disrupts the education process or the orderly operation of a school. For the purposes of this section, bullying shall include cyber-bullying.

It then goes on to say how bullying is prohibited on school grounds, school functions, school activities, and so on.

Then it discusses how bullying prevention should be taught:

(c) Each school district, charter school, approved private day or residential school and collaborative school shall provide age-appropriate instruction on bullying prevention in each grade that is incorporated into the curriculum of the school district or school. The curriculum shall be evidence based.

This is where the general education teacher comes in. Talking about bullying must be age appropriate. What does that mean? For example, if you teach first or second grade, you probably shouldn't share the story of Phoebe Prince - it might be too intense for such young children. However if you're teaching high school, the Phoebe Prince story may be a great conversation starter. Because she was in high school, this story may resonate more with students who are teenagers.

After this, the law discusses anti-bullying plans that each school must put in place, and it should be updated at least every two years. The plan must be posted on the school's website.

(g) A member of a school staff, including, but not limited to, an educator, administrator, school nurse, cafeteria worker, custodian, bus driver, athletic coach, advisor to an extracurricular activity or paraprofessional, shall immediately report any instance of bullying or retaliation the staff member has witnessed or become aware of to the principal or to the school official identified in the plan as responsible for receiving such reports or both.

This is another instance in which the teacher is involved. If the teacher sees an act of bullying, they much notify the principal, and then they will take action.

There is also another section about cyber-bullying, it's definition, and how school computers must be protected against unsafe websites to try to prevent cyber-bullying.

The teacher has a very important role in the prevention of bullying. They must educate students on what bullying is, inform them of the Massachusetts law against bullying, inform them on the school's specific anti-bullying plan, and they also must report any acts of bullying they see.

Let's help stop bullying together!