If we do not make changes, then our past will determine our future and we will continue to have school shootings. This statement was a part of my first testimony before Congress in March of 1999 shortly before the massacre at Columbine High School. My testimony focused on the need for increased mental health services […]
Category Archive: Bullying
School Safety: The Importance of the 4th R – Relationships
Numerous school shootings could have been prevented if students who knew about violent plans had shared that information with adults. Surveys have found that as much of 75% of the incidence of bullying at school are not brought to the attention of adults. Why kids won’t talk with adults about safety concerns Why don’t students […]
Getting to the Heart of Education- Listening to the Whole At-Risk Student
My long-time friend, colleague, and former co-worker, Dr. Steve Sroka, shares how to retain, engage, challenge, support, and educate all students: Getting to the Heart of Education- Listening to the Whole At-Risk Student By Stephen Sroka Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all…… Aristotle Many at-risk students in schools are crying […]
How schools can take a lead in youth suicide prevention
As increasing attention has – rightly – been paid to the issue of school-related bullying, growing attention, too, has come to the relationship between bullying and suicide. We’re doing more to address bullying with our nation’s youth, but we’re not yet doing enough to address the problem of suicide, the third leading cause of death […]
Indiana School Safety Specialist Academy provides bullying, media training for new generation of safety leaders
A new generation of superintendents, principals, teachers, school resource officers, and other school-community leaders embarked on their first round of training on Wednesday at the Indiana School Safety Specialist Academy (ISSSA). A record number of more than 330 participants learned best practices in school law, managing bullying without new programs and expenses, and managing media and parent communications […]
Taking the “bull” out of bullying and school safety training
School boards and administrators do not need new programs and expenses to manage bullying. In fact, most school districts already have strategies and services in place to adequately address school bullying. Recently, I had the pleasure of sharing this message to about 100 school board members, superintendents and top school district administrators who registered for […]
Mom arms gay son with stun gun to confront school bullying
An Indiana gay male high school student’s mother had a legitimate concern about her son being the victim of bullying, but she made a poor choice by arming him with a stun gun. The bully victim was apprehended by school police and subsequently expelled for brandishing the stun gun after he was reportedly confronted by […]
How the anti-bullying movement is setting kids up to fail
The world will be a perfect place if we just pass anti-bullying laws that outlaw bullying, incivility, intolerance, dirty looks, disagreements that are not pleasant, and just about anything else that is not Kumbaya. At least that seems to be the perspective of anti-bullying activists who have jumped on the bullying bandwagon the past few years. […]
Why legislation won’t stop bullying, online or otherwise
State and federal anti-bullying laws are unnecessary and ineffective. This doesn’t set well with many anti-bullying, civil rights, and other political activists and advocates lobbying for state and federal laws. But what is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular. A recent Plain Dealer newspaper article (CSU symposium attendees seek […]
House Proposes Cuts to 2011 School Emergency Planning Grants
First the Obama Administration proposed eliminating K-12 school emergency planning grants from the 2012 federal budget. Now, it appears the House Appropriations Committee is calling to eliminate the funds from this year’s 2011 budget! In a Friday press release on $4 billion in spending cuts as a part of a proposed short term government funding Continuing […]