5 Steps to Starting an Anti-Bullying Campaign at Your School
How much does your child’s school address the ongoing bullying program? How much effort schools put into this topic can vary wildly, even in schools in the same district. If your school does not have a schoolwide anti-bullying campaign, you might consider starting one. But how do you do it?
I’m New Jersey-based school assembly presenter Michael Kirschner. For over ten years, I’ve presented my amazing and informative “Abracabully” school assembly to schools in NJ and surrounding areas. Each month, I write helpful articles just like this one for busy parents and school administrators.
Bullying in schools isn’t going away anytime soon. But if we can make this issue part of the daily fabric of school life, we can give our children the information and tools they need to navigate the choppy waters of bullying. Starting an anti-bullying campaign in your school may not be easy. But the following steps are a good way to start.
Start an Anti-Bullying Campaign at School Tip #1: Gauge Your School’s Current Level
I’ve had concerned parents contact me, telling me their school didn’t have any policies in place. So have many of my fellow performers. But before assuming your school does not have any policy in place, contact those in charge.
Sometimes bullying campaigns may go by a different name. A fellow performer I know used to perform his anti-bullying show at a CT school each year. But the school did not refer to their campaign as “antibullying.” Instead, they called it a “positive climate school campaign.”
If, however, you do your research and discover your school does not have a comprehensive anti-bullying campaign in your school, there are steps you can take.
Start an Anti-Bullying Campaign at School Tip #2: Build Interest
To launch your campaign, you’re going to need to reach out to your committee. Find other concerned parents. Join your school’s PTA/PTO. Doing so will give your efforts more of a voice. Gather those interested in this topic for ongoing meetings.
Start researching all facets of bullying. Go beyond just the different forms of bullying. Research the underlying causes. Educate yourself about risk factors, including any mental issues, long-term repercussions for both the bullies and the bullied, and much more.
Having a well-researched campaign with plenty of background will allow you to answer any questions the school board and/or district may ask.
Start an Anti-Bullying Campaign at School Tip #3: Decide on Recommended Consequences
Many school districts (especially in New Jersey) have or used to have a zero-tolerance policy. That means once one child accused another of bullying, it triggered an automatic series of actions, regardless of the severity of the bullying.
But if your group is getting an anti-bullying campaign off the ground for the first time at your school, you may have more latitude. Discuss with your team specific policies you’ll have in place for each kind of bullying. Decode what kind of behaviors will not be tolerated., Decide which behaviors will trigger a warning. What about frequency? How will you decide the consequences for repeated occurrences?
Start an Anti-Bullying Campaign at School Tip #4: Create Tools for Kids
As a survivor of bullying myself, I can assure you that what kids need most is to feel safe. One aspect of feeling safe is having options. Create safe ways for kids to report bullying. Give them non-violent options for responding to bullying.
Create an overall anti-bullying curriculum for the children at your school. Educate your school’s kids about bullying. Make sure everyone knows what bullying is. Even now, in the 21st century, many people only consider physical actions to be bullying.
Most importantly, let kids know the school is there to help them. Remind kids the school’s staff can be approached for help.
Start an Anti-Bullying Campaign at School Tip #5: Educate Teachers and Faculty
Your school’s teachers will be the ones who spend the most time with students. Be sure your teachers are up to date on the latest research on bullying. Help your teachers recognize the warning signs of bullying.
Once you have your research and structure in place, approach those in charge. Ask them to use what you’ve painstakingly developed to become part of the school’s official policy.
Get Your Entire School Involved
Want a fun, effective way to let your entire school know that bullying will not be tolerated? My “Abracabully” bullying prevention school assembly features magic, join-in fun, storytelling, and kid-friendly humor. Your kids will learn valuable lessons while having the assembly highlight of your school year. Contact me for more details on this amazing, life-changing experience.