April+-+Bullying+&+Prevention

__//**April Issue -- Bullying/Peer Violence and Prevention**//__

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- It is estimated that 160,000 children miss school every day due to fear of attack or intimidation by other students. Source: National Education Association. - American schools harbor approximately 2.1 million bullies and 2.7 million of their victims. Dan Olweus, National School Safety Center.

- 90% of 4th through 8th graders report being victims of bullying - According to bullying statistics, 1 out of every 10 students who drops out of school does so because of repeated bullying. []
 * Around half of teens have been the victims of cyber bullying
 * Only 1 in 10 teens tells a parent if they have been a cyber bully victim
 * Girls are somewhat more likely than boys to be involved in cyber bullying

//**Major Activity -- Stand Together Against Bullying **// Inspired by Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

Story: Carl Walker was bullied in school because he was smart and different. He was reading two grade levels above his peers. One night her returned home from school and told his mother that he had gotten into a fight because other kids were calling him names and saying he was a girl and gay. He went to his room. At dinner time, he did not respond to his mother's calls to come down. His mother went to get him and found him hanging from the banister of the stairwell. He has committed suicide because of the abuse he received at school. Carl was in sixth grade...11 years old.

Carl's mother, Sirdeaner Walker, did not know what to do after finding her son. She decided that she did not want anyone else to have to feel the way that her family did after her son's suicide or how her son did every day going to school. She joined the movement to end bullying in schools. She is now a state and national figure in the anti-bullying fight. She has fought in her home state of Massachusetts to pass a bill that requires all schools to report all confirmed incidents of bullying to the state. She has also help urge education officials to gather data and develop new strategies to prevent bullying.

As part of their time with the Walker family, the hosts of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition started a website for Sirdeaner called Stand Together. Everyone is encouraged to stand together against bullying, because bullying has affected many of our lives. Each registrant receives a number and takes his/her picture with the number and uploads it to the website. Notable registrants: singer Demi Lovato, professional wrestler John Cena, tv personalities the Kardashians, members of the Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins, and more.

Activity at SGHS: Each student signs pledge to Stand Together against bullying, we register all students on the Stand Together website, take her picture with her number and upload to the website. Get a picture of all students at morning gathering with numbers.

Pledge: I pledge to... > Here are some stories about Carl Walker, his story, his family, Stand Together, and the fight against bullying:
 * 1) **Refrain from bullying of any kind, for any reason. **
 * 2) **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Treat others with respect. **
 * 3) **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Intervene, if I safely can. Or tell someone who can. **
 * 4) **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Encourage others to Stand Together against bullying. **

Stand Together Intro []

Walker Family Bus Tour []

Demi Lovato Performs for Stand Together []

Anderson Cooper Story about Carl Walker and Bullying []