Group helps parents, teachers fight bullying

Does a month make a difference? The folks at PACER National Bullying Prevention Center hope so since they've designated October as National Bullying Prevention month.

The Minneapolis-based organization, part of the PACER Center for children and young adults with disabilities, is determined to raise awareness on bullying by providing education and engaging communities to end the culture where such torment can flourish.

"Bullying has been around for a long time, but the evolution of technology has brought bullying to another level," said Julie Hertzog, executive director of the National Bullying Prevention Center. "Cyberbullying has become like the modern bathroom wall. People can anonymously and without thought say things to hurt others."

This is the first generation that has access to this kind of bullying, but the primary place where bullying begins is still at school. PACER has surveyed kids on the subject and while they say it's most likely to occur in places with less direct adult supervision, like the playground or lunchroom, subtle bullying behavior such as eye rolling can easily happen in the classroom, said Hertzog.

What's a parent to do?

PACER has developed information for teachers and parents around the subject of bullying awareness and prevention. Hertzog often fields inquiries from parents wondering what to do if their child is bullied.

"One of the most important steps is to document the entire process of what is happening to the child," she said. "Parents should also request a copy of their school district's policy on bullying."

"The message we want to give all parents is that your child has a right to be safe in school," said Hertzog. "The atmosphere should always be one where the child feels safe and included."

All in the vocabulary

Interestingly enough, the word "bullying" is one that Hertzog said kids don't really respond to when asked about the topic.

"The word we'll hear from them when they are describing conflict is 'drama,'" she said. "It is their issue so we want to be able to relate to them in the language they are using."

Part of this language also involves music and dance, which is why PACER is sponsoring Unity Dance Day on Oct. 26 as part of the National Bullying Prevention Month activities.

Perpich Center for Arts Education, a school for high school juniors and seniors in Golden Valley, endorses the anti-bullying message and will be participating in the Unity Dance Day, said Duane Duetrieuille, director of student life and development.

"We're a school that celebrates individuality and diversity. Bullying is not part of our school culture," said Duetrieuille. "As adults, we want to give the kids guidance and help them take ownership of bullying prevention. We want to give them a voice to speak out against it."

True tales with impact

The personal stories and videos shared on the PACER websites by kids who have experienced bullying are what resonate most effectively with their peers, said Paula Goldberg, executive director and co-founder of PACER. When singer Demi Lovato, a spokeswoman for TeensAgainstBullying.org, told her own story of being bullied, the response from kids was tremendous; some shared sentiments such as "I feel strong" and "I can make it."

"When you are bullied, you feel alone," said Goldberg. "We get lots of e-mails from kids all over the country. A month or so ago, we received a message from a teen who was contemplating suicide, but he told us that after he visited the Teens Against Bullying website, he changed his mind."

Julie Pfitzinger is a West St. Paul freelance writer.