Anti-Bullying Advocacy - Support for Students and Parents

Prevent Cyberbullying: Proactive Parenting Tips 65% of children between the ages of eight and 14 have been exposed to cyberbullying. (Lenhardt, Cyberbullying, 2020) . Cyberbullying can include posting offensive information or photos, spreading lies or rumors, as well as sending threatening or hurtful messages on social media, emails, text messages, and online gaming platforms. Parents play a vital role in protecting their children from being a victim of cyberbullying and the key is being proactive! Technology is a wonderful tool that can provide both educational and entertainment value to young children. Children should be safely able to explore the internet, gaming and messaging platforms without the threat of cyberbullying. Unfortunately, kids today are at higher risks of experiencing online harassment than ever before due to increased screen time and technology dependence. There are several effective steps that parents can take to prevent their children from cyberbullying. Start by ...

Call to Action: Contact Your State Representatives! Did you know that Arizona’s anti-bullying laws don’t define harassment or bullying? Arizona laws are weak and don't hold school districts accountable in providing equitable access to safe, bully-free learning environments. Bullying is pervasive throughout our schools and the children in our state are suffering because of it. Parents, community members, and state legislators need to work together to protect our children from the harmful effects of bullying. Contact your Arizona legislator and urge them to bring real legislative improvements to Arizona laws! From the hot, sparse desert vegetarian to the cool Northern Arizona forests, our state encompasses an array of diverse environments and people. That respect and value of diversity and inclusiveness should also be reflected in our school system and legislation. The existing anti-bullying legislation does not reflect and protect the values of Arizonans. What improvements need to ...

Utilize the Educational Advocates Order of Contact to Ensure Action is Taken to Support Your Child! As parents, it’s difficult supporting our children when bullying is happening in an environment outside of our realm of control. There are still ways that you can support your child to ensure they have a safe learning environment. Who and when should parents contact when their child reports being bullied at school? The recommended order of educational advocates to contact are as follows: Teacher -> School Counselor -> Principal -> Superintendent-> AZ Dept. of Education-> Police nonemergency The first person you should engage with is your child’s teacher. They have the most immediate and frequent contact with your child throughout the school day. Describe the behaviors and interactions that have been happening and ask for her/him to intervene on your child’s behalf. Most bullies prefer to operate at times where authority is not in direct supervision. Notifying the teacher w...

Speak Up!   “When adults respond quickly and consistently to bullying behavior they send the message that it is not acceptable. Research shows this can stop bullying behavior over time” (StopBullying.gov, Stop Bullying on the Spot, 2019) . Today I challenge parents to reach out to their child’s teacher and school administration. Are school staff aware that bullying is occurring? What is the school’s policy and what rights does your child have as a victim? This is a powerful approach that parents should use to support their children when bullying occurs. Parents and educators have many shared values when it comes to bullying. Both parties value the importance of education, safe learning environments, and students’ success. Ongoing communication and adopting a united approach increases your chances of successfully advocating for your child. “It is important that parents and teachers are as committed to connecting with, guiding, and supporting school-age children as they grow because ...

A Daily Commitment to Parent-Child Connections Why is support needed for families whose children have been the victim of bullying and harassing behavior? “The clinical repercussions that bullying and cyberbullying have on today’s youth present the most troubling issue at hand” (Donegan, pg 36, 2012) . Unfortunately, bullying is a wide-scope issue that leaves many parents and caregivers looking for ways to support their vulnerable child. Fundamentally, most of us understand what bullying is but not as much information is available about how to respond when it happens to your child. That’s what makes this blog and other advocacy efforts invaluable to families in distress! I’m here to explore the answers to that question with you! Parents have many shared values. We value family and our children, honesty, fairness, and inclusion. Repeated mean and harassing behavior threatens those values. Working together as a community of committed parents, we can support and instill those sacred v...

WELCOME! Do you know that approximately one third of the world’s youth will experience bullying during their childhood (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, 2018)? Bullying causes harmful physical and emotional effects for everyone involved including the victim, bully, and bystanders. Without proper support and guidance these negative effects can continue to plague individuals far into their adulthood. This blog is dedicated to supporting parents and their children with anti-bullying information and advice. REFERENCES United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. (2018, January 10). New SDG 4 Data on Bullying . UNESCO Publishing. http://uis.unesco.org/en/news/new-sdg-4-data-bullying IMAGE SOURCES New Mexico Public Education Department. (2021, September 20). Cyberbullying [Photograph]. Bullying Prevention: Providing Safe Schools for All Students. https://webnew.ped.state.nm.us/bureaus/safe-healthy-schools/bullying-prevention/