foolmenot.comGo Jen… This bullying crap has got to stop. It hasn’t always been this way. When I was a kid there was no bullying; teachers and parents took care of those turds… Then in the 60’s the Republicans, who were starting to get mad at us Liberals taking things over, injected crap into school books… Now you’re seeing it played out… AND, guess what? What do bullies become after they quit school???? You guessed it; Republicans!
Full article follows…
Published March 11, 2006
[ From the Lansing State Journal ]
Educators, parents applaud governor's effort to help decrease bullying in schools.
By Susan Vela
Lansing State Journal
HOLT - High school teacher Margaret McMillen has witnessed the damaging impact of bullying on students and school climates.
Those painful experiences are why she, other teachers, politicians and pundits throughout the state say they appreciate Gov. Jennifer Granholm's efforts to decrease bullying in schools.
"As long as it's not punitive, I think it'll be good," said McMillen, a teacher since 1985.
Granholm has urged legislators to ensure that:
• Michigan's school districts put in place tough, effective anti-bullying policies.
• Teacher-training programs, including ones at the college level, teach future educators how to run disciplined, orderly classrooms.
• New investment and directions cultivate school communities that are safe for every child.
"We really want to attempt to create a school culture where stopping bullying is everyone's responsibility," said Granholm spokeswoman Liz Boyd, emphasizing that addressing bullying shouldn't hinge on costs and funding.
Forever a challenge
Bullying always has been a problem, whether it's physical or verbal assaults on school grounds, or on the way to and from school.
Some tri-county administrators note that they're already addressing bullying.
Parents hope the governor's renewed attention will strengthen the anti-bullying programs and policies already in place.
They want children to know bullying will not be tolerated.
"The more we can take the power away from those who are thriving on it and give it to the ones who need it, we'll build stronger school systems," said Kevin Epling of East Lansing.
His son Matthew, who would have graduated this spring, killed himself after a 2002 hazing incident. "Change is always difficult," Epling continued. "The result of not changing is more devastating."
Evidence of bullies
Michigan's Center for Educational Performance & Information reports about 5,100 bullying incidents in the 2004-05 school year, the last year for which data are available.
Tri-county schools showed a total of 207 incidents, ranging from 40 in Lansing to two in Fowler.
Some legislators are already rallying behind the governor's call for tougher anti-bullying efforts.
"There needs to be some recognition across the state that this is something that has to be dealt with," said state Rep. Glenn Anderson, D-Westland.
In January he introduced a bill that would require Michigan's approximately 750 K-12 public school districts and charter schools to adopt anti-bullying policies. The measure is pending.
Components would include age-appropriate consequences for violators and reporting procedures for victims.
"There's no excuse for not providing the same learning environment for every child in Michigan," Anderson said.
Praise for caring acts
Glenn Stutzky, a Michigan State University social work instructor and national bullying expert, especially agrees with the governor's call for new investment and direction in the fight against bullying.
However, "it really is going to require the entire community of Michigan," he said.
Stutzky has several proposals to improve school climates.
For example, he would like to see schools and businesses become safe school partners, media outlets launch a statewide anti-bullying campaign and more schools praise kids for kind, caring behavior.
Lansing school representatives recognize that the threat of aggression must be addressed.
The region's largest district recently surveyed 376 current parents and discovered that 71 percent believe bullying is at least a minor problem in their child's school.
"Certainly, the time is right for this," Lansing school board member Hugh Clarke Jr. said of the state's latest focus on bullying.
Contact Susan Vela at 702-4248 or svela@lsj.com.