Bullying Prevention Month In Essex County: Stand Up, Speak Out
ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — The following article includes reporting via the Patch national desk. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site here.
We hope you’ve noticed over the past year that we’ve been focusing on bullying and cyberbullying, a confounding national crisis that turns youths’ lives upside down with unimaginable angst and dread, sometimes with deadly consequences. With each story, we’ve heard poignant stories from Patch readers in New Jersey and others who were bullied and overcame it, but also many who continue to struggle with the damage done by bullies to their self-esteem.
Many common threads emerged in emails from our readers: Teachers and other educators have suggested everything from first-period decompression time to classroom contracts with students on how they’re expected to treat one another. But for all the readers who said schools need to do more to foster an anti-bullying culture, as many said parents should talk more with their kids about bullying and keep closer track on their social media habits.
And in a loud chorus, they said Americans need to stop wringing their hands and work at all levels to create a world safe from bullying.
That’s one of the purposes of National Bullying Prevention Month, observed annually during October to bring attention to the problem and involve people in Essex County, New Jersey and nationwide in a conversation on how to create a world safe from bullying.
A LOCAL STRUGGLE: BULLYING IN ESSEX COUNTY
Read some recent stories about alleged bullying (and anti-bullying efforts) in Essex County below.
Newark’s Inspiring School Laundromat On ‘Ellen Show’ (VIDEO)
A Newark principal fought bullying in his school by installing a free laundromat for in-need students.
Bloomfield Cops Forgo Lip-Synch Challenge For Anti-Bullying Video
Junior Police Academy recruits with the Bloomfield Police Department created an awesome anti-bullying video. Watch it here.
Essex Courts To Hold Bullying Awareness Seminar
The Essex Vicinage will hold a bullying awareness seminar for students at Science Park High School.
Transgender Teen In Essex County Viciously Beaten At School: Officials
A New Jersey teen claims that she’s been bullied and mocked since transitioning from Justin to Kylie, a report says.
2 Years Of Bully Battles Cost This Essex County School District $100K
Taking action against bullies is the responsible thing to do. But what happens when the bully battle starts taking a financial toll?
Essex County School Replaces Baseball Coaches After ‘Bullying’ Allegations
The coaches faced allegations of harassment from some of their players, including “lewd, racist and vulgar” comments.
A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE
Once viewed as a childhood “rite of passage” that toughened kids to handle the pressures of adulthood, bullying and its more insidious digital twin, cyberbullying, is seen by many experts as a major public health issue — on par with heart disease, cancer and diabetes — with devastating and often long-term effects like the loss of self-esteem, heightened anxiety and depression.
We want to hear from YOU. Do you have a story to tell about bullying or cyberbullying, a suggestion about how to stem it or an event to publicize? Comment at the end of the story, or email bullies@patch.com. You can post Bullying Prevention Month and many other events right on Patch (here’s how).
Statistics vary, but an aggregate of 80 different studies on bullying suggests one in five American students between 12 and 18 is bullied at some point during their middle or high school years. Traditional bullying — name calling, public humiliation, isolation, physical violence and that sort of thing — occurs most often, with 35 percent of kids reporting they’ve been targeted in one of those ways. The studies cited by the PACER Center, which established National Bullying Prevention Month, show that 15 percent of kids surveyed report being cyberbullied.
And though it occurs less often, cyberbullying — which has resulted in a disturbing string of suicides by adolescents and teenagers — is especially hard to stop. While experts say most cyberbullied kids don’t kill themselves, the long-tailed internet makes a taunt live longer than one flung on the schoolyard. Kids can escape traditional bullying in the safety of their homes, but because social media is so intertwined with how kids communicate, they never really escape it.
>> READ: Bullied To Death: When Kids Kill With Words
And because cyberbullies have the stealth of anonymity, “empathy tends to fade to zero,” NoBully.org founder Nicholas Carlisle told Patch.
He was knocked around 40 or so years ago as an awkward 12-year-old. The torment persisted through high school, but as tough as it was, his experience was markedly different from the torture kids endure today, he says — and it’s not just that he was attacked in a physical as opposed to online space.
“Online, you can’t see the whites of their eyes,” Carlisle said. “If you can see someone, that’s often a break upon people’s aggression — not always, but it does seem to have some break upon crossing the line.”
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The full consequences of bullying on the brain aren’t fully understood, but kids who are targeted by bullies in childhood and adolescence are at increased risk for psychological problems that can stretch into adulthood, according to experts. In the moment, bullied kids may be unable to sleep or suffer a range of stomach issues and headaches. Later on, they’re at risk for depression, anxiety, and alcohol and drug use.
OCT. 24 UNITY DAY
Among the marquee National Bullying Prevention Month activities is Unity Day, observed on Wednesday, Oct. 24, when everyone is encouraged to wear and show orange to send a message that no child should ever experience bullying.
“Orange provides a powerful, visually compelling expression of solidarity,” Paula Goldberg, the executive director of the PACER Center, said in a statement. “Whether it’s hundreds of individuals at a school wearing orange, store owners offering orange products or a community changing a landmark to orange, the vibrant statement becomes a conversation starter, sending the supportive, universal message that bullying is never acceptable behavior.”
Here’s more about Unity Day:
THE BULLY MENACE: WHAT’S AHEAD
During October and beyond, several experts have agreed to answer readers’ questions about bullying, ranging from how to keep their kids from becoming targets to what to do if their kids are the bullies. We’ll also delve into some of the issues surrounding bullying.
Take a look back at some of the stories in our series:
If you have a question or want to share your story, please email bullies@patch.com.
Photo via Shutterstock
