Schools around the country know they have a bullying problem but are not always sure what to do about it …
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Schools around the country know they have a bullying problem but are not always sure what to do about it. One group is challenging schools nationwide to take their anti-bullying campaign up a notch and get more serious about it. They are ready to help them do it, too.
"There is a good chance that your school is not doing enough, and it's time to make a change," says Kirk Smalley, co-founder of Stand for the Silent. "Make this the year the climate in your school gets changed so that bullying isn't tolerated."
Stand for the Silent was born out of the tragedy that followed Smalley’s 11-year-old son taking his own life due to bullying. He and his wife, Laura, started the organization, turning their pain and loss into a mission of helping others. Today, he travels the country giving presentations about bullying to schools, providing bullying prevention, giving out scholarships, offering intervention strategies, and more.
Schools are an excellent place for addressing bullying because a lot of bullying occurs there. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 1 in 5 high school students report being bullied on school property. It's an issue that schools from coast to coast have to contend with if they want to protect the best interest of their students and create a safer, more welcoming climate.
Here are some ways that schools can get more serious about anti-bullying:
"We have worked with many schools nationwide to help them with their bullying campaigns," adds Smalley. "It is our mission to get involved and help. Our work could save lives and help create a better campus environment for all."
Smalley and his wife, Laura, started the organization following their 11-year-old son, ending his own life due to bullying. They turned their pain and loss into a mission of helping others. He travels the country giving presentations about bullying to schools, providing bullying prevention, giving out scholarships, offering intervention strategies, and more. Those interested in getting involved can start a chapter of the group in their area, obtain a free K-2 bullying prevention curriculum or cyberbullying handbook for parents, or host a presentation at their school. To get more information, visit the site at: https://standforthesilent.org/