Message from the Superintendent: National Bullying Prevention Month
Parents of children who are bullied at school feel an immediate need to take action that will make the behavior stop. A phone call to school is one of the first steps parents take to seek a resolution that will end the bullying behavior. The prevalence of bullying in our schools and society make it an issue that most families, communities and schools must eventually confront. Schools and communities must find ways to resolve issues, change behavior patterns and increase education and awareness of bullying and bullying prevention strategies.
The Hudson City School District Board of Education adopted a Student Bullying Prevention and Intervention Policy prior to the start of the current school year. The New York State mandated policy states that the district is “committed to providing an educational and working environment that promotes respect, dignity and equality.” The school district’s administration, faculty and staff seek to partner with parents and community to resolve all incidents of bullying and proactively develop programs that will assist in better understanding the impact of bullying on the target, participants and those who are witness to such acts – the bystanders.
Parents are encouraged to ask their children questions everyday about school activities and lessons. There is much to be learned by listening to children as they retell their school day experiences and interactions with classmates, teachers and school staff. A daily conversation about school in general will create opportunities for children to tell parents about bullying incidents that they might have otherwise kept to themselves. Parents should immediately contact the building principal to share any information about bullying to begin the process of resolving the issue and ending the bullying behavior. It is important that the parents and administrators act as partners in creating open communication that will assist in understanding and resolving conflicts. Additionally, parents and school staff must work together to help students understand that they are not alone when faced with bullying and will be supported when they share incidents of bullying behaviors with adults.
The Hudson City School District is committed to creating a culture of tolerance and consideration for others. An example of that commitment is “The Bystander Project” that is currently underway at the M.C. Smith Intermediate School. Administration, including the Superintendent of Schools, faculty, staff and students read James Preller’s novel Bystander, a fictional portrayal of authentic, young voices in a middle school environment facing and dealing with issues of bullying. Students have been involved in learning experiences designed to raise their awareness of bullying, explore what bullying is and develop a common vocabulary about bullying to include such words as bystander, or one who witnesses bullying and says or does nothing. In his novel, James Preller cites Martin Luther King, Jr.’s reference to “the appalling silence” when describing the unspoken involvement of the witness during bullying incidents.
The Bystander Project culminates in an exciting collaboration of the Hudson City School District’s Arts and Humanities Fund, the Taconic Community Foundation, the Concrete Temple Theatre and the M.C. Smith Intermediate School students’ presentation of a theatrical adaptation of James Preller’s Bystander performed for the students and community. The Bystander Project’s mission is to promote a culture that does not tolerate bullying and is a part of National Bullying Prevention Month.