October is National Bullying Prevention Month

By K’Lee Banks, M.Ed.

The month of October is designated as the time to talk about bullying prevention. This national awareness day appears under different names:

• National Bullying Prevention Month
• National Anti-Bullying Awareness Month
• National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month
• Stomp Out Bullying

No matter the name, the emphasis is the same: it is essential to raise awareness about bullying, to stop or prevent it from occurring, to give victims of bullying the resources and assistance they need, and to inform bullies of consequences of their behavior and then enforce those consequences.

News Anchor Addresses Bully

Jennifer Livingston, a news anchor on station WKBT, recently received an email from a male viewer who attacked her over her appearance, calling her a poor role model for children. Livingston tied in her response to him with the awareness of bullying prevention during the month of October.

This is a powerful video clip, worth watching and listening to for how firmly Livingston addressed the bully:

Watch for More Blog Posts This Month

Watch for posts throughout the month on the topic of bullying, including:

• What is bullying and who does it?
• What are methods and tactics bullies use and who are their targets?
• What is cyber-bullying?
• What are resources for students that are victims of bullying?
• What should consequences be for bullies?

Report Bullies and Don’t Be a Bully

If you have ever been, or are currently, a victim of a bully, or anyone you know has been or currently is, be sure to report the bully to the proper authority figure. Bullies need to know there are consequences for their actions and that bullying is NOT acceptable.

If you are guilty of bullying, STOP!  There are much better ways to deal with people and/or circumstances that may bother you than to verbally or physically attack them.

Likewise, if you are victim of a bully, don’t stoop to his or her level and behave the same way. Don’t be a bully in return!