It is our responsibility to stop bullying. Now. Before another child dies.
These photos can be taken on any campus.
Some say, “Oh they’re just kids – playing around.”
Others say, “They’ll work it out.”
But it hurts. And kids get really hurt. Inside.
It is our responsibility to stop bullying.
Because kids are killing themselves. Don’t wait until another child dies.
It’s No Laughing Matter – Bullying Kills And We Are Responsible
It is our responsibility. Stop bullying now. Before another child dies. Jaheem Herrera did not have the chance. He did not live.
Read a true story and then ask yourself – is it just kids playing around?
Letter to High School Mediator
Hello Dr. Fioriello,
I wanted to reach out to you an issue that millions of children face each day. The issue is bullying and the affects it is taking on our children, parents and school system all together.
Last night, I learned that 11 Year-Old Jaheem Herrera took his life because of being bullied and tormented in school. I instantaneously knew I had to do something at that very moment and hit the blogs and close friends to get a movement started.
I too was bullied in middle school and some in high school and know what it is like to be ridiculed and tormented at school. Luckily for me I found alternative ways to deal with these problems but kids like Jaheem and Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover felt this was the only way.
What do you think we as a community and to go even a step further as a country, do to start preventing the bullying and tormenting that goes on in our schools?
How do we reach both the bully & the bullied at the same time to prevent bully related suicide, school shooting, hate crimes and even the new cyber bullying which now occurs when bullies make heinous comments & blogs about kids they are bullying.
Thank you so much for your time 🙂
Mark Sanchez
Los Angeles, CA
High School Mediator Response
It is difficult to address a huge issue in a small space. A serious, personal, and painful issue.
Condolences to the families and communities who experience the loss of a child. A child to suicide. A child who was teased, tormented, and bullied.
It should never happen. There is no excuse. A waste of a young life.
High School Mediator provides solutions and new information on current hot topics. What is cyber-bullying? Must we include the bully in our efforts? Is it possible for the entire country to campaign against bullying?
Future posts will address these questions and more.
Today we stand still for a moment. Reflect before we move forward. With the hope of understanding our next step.
Think about where we have been.
Reflect.
No one wants to take responsibility. We talk, attend conferences, conduct assemblies, and then continue with our lives.
Suicide from bullying must be front and center. Everyday. It cannot stray from our attention. Ongoing prevention so we never forget that bullying kills. Bullying makes kids cry. Develops into a fight. But it also kills. Get drastic about a deadly issue. Constantly remind others of the dire consequences of bullying.
Four reasons why bullying still exists.
Reason #1: Afraid to get involved.
The child will get beat up. And it’s not only the kids. Adults don’t want to handle these situations.
Reason #2: Not my responsibility.
Why get involved? Someone else will take care of it.
Reason #3: Not really bullying.
People still believe pushing, shoving, and name calling is not bullying. Just kids playing around. Not true. Even if it was true, these actions always escalate to more serious behavior.
Reason #4: Nothing ever happens.
Individuals shared incidences and nothing was done. Nothing changed as a result of their report. Someone did not do their job. People remember mistakes of that magnitude.
Why (some) programs do not work.
Bullying has been around forever. Anti-Bullying programs exist in schools and communities. Have you noticed many school programs do not work? Bullying is a community problem. The problem will not change until the community takes responsibility, works together, insists on reporting incidents, and takes action.
Actions speak louder than words.
The victim, bully, and witness must feel confident that as soon as an incident is reported, action will be taken. Immediate action to help the victim, deal with the bully, and support the witness.
Time to do things differently.
Professionals create programs, give presentations, and share countless resources. Resources, like bullying, have been around for years.
Solutions exists in people. Actions modeled by educators. Parent interactions with children. Community members extending support.
Communication is key.
- Report incidences. Even if you are not sure about the situation. Better safe than sorry.
- Create an easy and accessible way for witnesses to report incidents.
- Develop a network. Link information from one neighborhood to the next.
Today’s resources found in social media.
Facebook for groups. Join Stop Bullying International or find other organizations.
Twitter to follow individuals and groups against bullying.
YouTube for information, real life stories.
