District Administration - January 2011 - (Page 60)

The Politicization of Bullying in the areas that deal with the violations of civil rights,” domenech says. as for springer, he says he is aware of the letter but confesses, “I don’t really think one way or another that’s affected the way we do business.” In any case, Jennings is very clear: “our basic job is to give kids an education. When bullying is happening in a school, kids don’t feel safe. so to me, it’s not political, it’s educational. There are not two sides to it. Whenever we start talking politics and not focusing on what the kids need, it’s too political for me in any way. “What kids need right now is learning and going to school and not being worried about their safety while they’re there,” he adds. “any discussion other than making sure every kid feels safe at school to me is a distraction.” The Olweus Program susan limber, a professor within the Institute on family and neighborhood life at clemson university, is the executive director of olweus Bullying prevention program, the oldest and one of the most widely used anti-bullying education programs in the world. limber has noticed an enormous growth in the number of laws on bullying, from one state in 1999 to 45 states today. typically, the laws require school districts to create policies around bullying. “These laws vary widely in how they define bullying—what they recommend in the policies—and we really don’t know yet what, if any, effects these have had,” limber says. as the sullivan county schools’ lawsuit demonstrates, such programs are not without costs. on the federal level, three bills pending—senate bill 3739 and house bills 2262 and 5184—may amend the safe schools act to include or expand the opportunity for, receiving grants to address bullying. limber and dan olweus, founder of the program, recently conducted a survey of more than half a million children, the largest survey on bullying in the world. “The good news is that most kids feel empathy for bullied kids,” limber says. “It’s something that most kids don’t like. unfortunately, too many don’t take action to deal with it. so we have the vast majority of kids in a school environment who really want to do something to address bullying. I’m certain that the same goes for the school staff.” although limber acknowledges there is reason for concern, she believes optimism is justified. “We know that prevention efforts really can be effective,” she says. “Every child has a right to attend a school without being bullied, belittled, harassed, and their parents have a right, as well.” DA Victor Rivero is a freelance writer based in Massachusetts. Managing Bullying in Politically Charged Climates ducators, school safEty ExpErts and anti-bullying advocates typically agree that bullying is a serious issue. They also agree that anti-bullying strategies should be an integral component of a school’s safety plan. however, differences remain in how bullying should be addressed. Those differences have become magnified as bullying has become an increasingly politicized issue. Mix in media hysteria on bullying and teen suicide issues, and educators find their genuine efforts to address bullying challenged by distorted public perceptions and politically driven, overreaching and overly prescriptive outside mandates on bullying issues. Practical Strategies for Managing Bullying discipline policies, student conduct codes, and school climate strategies have long been in place in most schools to prevent bullying incidents. school leaders can refine their approach more effectively by taking a comprehensive leadership approach versus simply creating a new policy or implementing a new bullying prevention plan. practical steps for managing bullying under highly political and parent-intense climates include: 1. understanding the politics. Most educators and parents are blind to the behind-the-scenes politics of bullying. recognizing that there are more agendas in play than simply bullying itself is critical. 2. Evaluating discipline policies and school climate strategies. are 60 January 2011 E current discipline policies adequate to address bullying behaviors? Is your district complying with state anti-bullying laws? are school climate strategies in place to address respect, diversity, peaceful resolution of conflict and belonging? Is a bullying prevention program needed, or do school climate strategies adequately address underlying bullying behaviors? 3. Examining mental health support for students. have you assessed the adequacy and coordination of your district’s internal resources, identification and referral processes and programs for student mental health, including suicide awareness and prevention? 4. assessing security and supervision. Bullying often occurs in hot spots where there is less adult supervision such as restrooms, hallways, stairwells, cafeterias and bus drop-off and pick-up areas. Is supervision and security at these areas adequate? 5. supporting effective classroom management. are teachers aware of school-conduct codes and behavioral expectations? have discussions been held with teachers, and are teachers given support on classroom management strategies? 6. reviewing federal civil rights laws and training staff. have you conferred with legal counsel, assessed district policies and trained staff on federal civil rights laws that could apply to bullying complaints and lawsuits? The department of Education recently issued a 10-page “dear colleagues” letter to schools outlining title Ix and other civil rights laws the department can use to initiate investigaDistrict Administration

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - January 2011

District Administration - January 2011
Contents
From the Editor
Letters
News Update
Administrator Profile
District Profile
Conversations
Crisis Response
Going Mobile
Online Edge
Professional Opinion
K12 Guide to Audio/Visual Solutions
Product Focus
What’s the Value in Value-Added?
The Politicization of Bullying
Holding On to Parent Voices
Tough New Issues Refocus Health Education
New Products
Books

District Administration - January 2011