Our home state of Ohio is still reeling after the recent violence at Chardon High School. It’s a sobering reminder that we need to stand against bullying.
We know that most anti-bullying programs don’t work. What can we do to make a difference? (more…)
A while back we did a post on why we take a different approach to anti-bullying assemblies.
Most presentations try to “scare the kids straight”. They hammer on the harmful effects of bullying and try to create change by making everyone feel miserable.
We’ve been skeptical of this approach from day one. We believe it makes a bad situation worse.
Turns out we’re right. There’s academic research to back it up. “Preaching” at the kids and following up with severe punishments doesn’t work.
There was a peer reviewed article published on this back in October 2011. It’s cited at the end of this post. Here are a few crucial bits that I feel are relevant. (more…)
What do you think of when you imagine a bully?
Usually it’s a kid who’s an outcast. Nobody likes them. They’re either a loner or they hang out with other bullies. They bully either because they don’t know how to control themselves or because they want to gain social status.
That’s definitely one kind of bully, but there’s also a second who’s more subtle and more dangerous. (more…)
You should be concerned… Very concerned…
Over 13,000 kids from 5th – 12th grade were surveyed. They were asked what steps they’ve taken to stand against bullying.
- 20% Hit or Fought the Bully!
- 27% Made Plans to Get Back at or Fight the Bully!
Concerned yet? You should be. That means that 1 in 5 kids who were the targets of bullying resorted to physical violence! Worse yet, 1 in 4 either seriously considered violence or some other way of “getting even”. (more…)
We’ve made progress in the anti-bullying movement, but this video proves we still have a long way to go. This was recorded on a cell phone, so the quality isn’t that great. You can still make out what’s happening.
This incident took place at Unioto High School in Chillicothe, Ohio. The target attempted to walk away, but the bully beat him repeatedly. (more…)
One group that’s easily overlooked in the bullying crisis is those with special needs. According to a recent article advocates in Maryland are calling on the state to do more to address the problem.
From the article: (more…)
Based on the media coverage, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the bullying epidemic is limited to the United States and United Kingdom.
It’s not… Bullying is a global problem and needs a global movement. This isn’t a national problem or a cultural problem. It’s a human problem.
It was recently reported that South Korea has seen an outbreak of bullying related suicides. From the article:
(more…)
This video is about nine minutes long, but it’s time well spent!
These are real kids and their reactions to seeing kids get bullied. Whether you agree or disagree, you can’t deny that what these kids have to say is compelling.
One comment in particular got my attention.
There was an assembly last year. Everyone was crying afterward because it was so like… Powerful… But nobody got the message.
As someone who provides anti-bullying school assemblies this grabbed my attention.
(more…)
We talk to a lot kids after our anti-bullying school assemblies. Despite all the recent media attention, bullying is still a huge problem. We see it first hand every day!
According to a recent study, Asian Americans are the most bullied group in US schools. [Link]
It’s been a long time coming, but it’s finally up! The video trailer for our EGGstraordinary Anti-Bullying School Assembly has finally been released! Check it out above. It’s only around two and a half minutes long.
We’ll be releasing another video trailer for our other assembly, Character All Stars, soon! Keep your eyes peeled!