Rumors, nasty comments, pushing, shoving, hitting.
They should have NO place in our schools.
It’s not just kids being kids. It’s not just something they will outgrow.
Bullying and harassment are serious issues with serious consequences.
Students who are bullied are more likely to be depressed, to think about and attempt suicide, and have behavior problems and difficulty learning.
Bullying contributes to poor school attendance, which is a barrier to improving student achievement for all. It affects efforts to close the achievement gap, a longstanding priority for the PTA.
Nationally, an estimated 160,000 children miss school every day because of bullying.
Prevention of bullying is a priority issue of the PTA because quite simply-- children need to attend school in a safe environment.
Last October, Governor Jerry Brown signed important legislation sponsored by PTA to protect students from bullying and harassment.
AB 1156, by Assemblymember Mike Eng, gives students, their families and their teachers effective tools to help better ensure school is a place where everyone is free to learn and teach without the threat of harm.
The bill requires training of school site personnel in the prevention of bullying, and it gives victims of bullying priority for transferring out of a school, if requested.
Training sessions on bullying prevention and intervention are now available through the California Department of Education for teachers, administrators, parents, students, certificated staff, risk management and community members.
These sessions provide knowledge about the dynamics of bullying, a greater understanding of a systematic approach to bullying, and increase skills in identifying and implementing strategies to address bullying. Find out more.
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Take peek at a variety of resources you can use during October — and throughout the year — to engage, educate and inspire others to join the movement and prevent bullying where you live. Remember, the end of bullying begins with you!
- California State PTA
- A Free Cyberbullying Toolkit for PTA Leaders in partnership with CommonSense Media
- The Bully Project and the Special Needs Anti-Bullying Toolkit
- Not in Our Town and Not in Our School
- National Bullying Prevention Center
- California Department of Education
- StopBullying.gov
Carol Kocivar is the president of the California Parent Teacher Association.
FIGHT FOR POWER What we need is awareness we can't continue to be careless They question us and say what is this I can only imagine this was the question put to the indigenous Well my brothers of all colors it's time to get down to reality wake up from this dream of night marishness and Fight for Power!!!
So what I am trying to say is that Bullying is something that happens even if I bring it on to myself it still isn't nice. And the girl I was like you think it's ok to make fun of some one with Austism. And she was like no who has Austism. I was like Me stupid and she was like how am I supposed to know. Then I was like well then its ok to say it even if you don't know. One last story. In cross country I had an argument. You can probably guess who brought it onto themselves and who got bullied next. Then some boy was like At least I don't have Aspergers. And then me and another boy were like thats just messed up. He didn't feel sorry and he didn't think that Aspergers was Austism and used my disability against me. My dad is the asb teacher at the school and also trys to encourage kindness
Now I know I start a lot of stuff but it never gives anyone the right to make fun of back. Yes, of course, Me having Aspergers is no excuse for what I say. In eighth grade I got suspended, 3 referrals, and an on campus suspension just because of what I said. This year in the ninth grade I got 2 on campus suspensions because of my stupid mouth. But please try to inform you kids not to judge and jump to conclusions so quickly. And if your child has Aspergers try to help them. If they have signs of Aspergers don't ignore it go see a doctor and find out if he does. I was diagnosed a year ago. Before that I thought I was just an annoying normal person. I don't see myself as normal now but this is something I can control and get over. So please take my advice. And you should buy the Bully book and if the movie is playing by you it is only in 50 cities I suggest you see it. Two boys in the Bully have Aspergers one gets bullied the other commited suicide because of bullying. Please inform people and your children not to bully because maybe someone they bully will commit suicide or has a disability that isn't very noticable. Thanks