Sunday, October 16, 2011

Bullies

October is National Bullying Prevention month. Eleven-year-old son Jon, ten-year-old son Greg, and seven-year-old daughter Sara have all been victims of bullying at their new school in New Mexico. Unfortunately, the bullies in each instance have been "Mexicans," so some prejudice is developing. My strategy is to get each child to realize that the children who have been friendliest to them have also been "Mexicans."

A Denver Post article claims that bullying is the most common form of violence in the United States. Colorado has spent $9 million on a three-year "Bullying Prevention Initiative," which reviewers say has reduced bullying by about ten percent. A grant to a Shakespeare touring group has been popular with students, who, in discussions after performances of Twelfth Night identify and discuss bullying that is portrayed in the play.

Here is a link to the Denver Post article: http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_19118336?source=rss

1 comment:

Terri Wagner said...

Wonder what would reduce it by half?