The Putnam County Schools has taken a giant step forward to creating safer and more peaceful schools. Recently, the progressive school system adopted the Bully Free Program, available from Bully Free Systems (www.bullyfree.com). In a recent presentation to the faculty and staff, Dr. Allan Beane, author of the program, commended the superintendent, school board, and school personnel for recognizing the importance of not only responding to bullying when it occurs but also preventing it from occurring. Tennessee passed a law mandating schools to address the problem of bullying by establishing anti-bullying policies and procedures. The Putnam County School System decided to go a step further. It not only realizes the need for policies, but also understands the urgency in having an anti-bullying program in place that teaches students how to treat each other. Therefore, this summer Dr. Beane was asked to train an anti-bully program team/committee in each school and spoke to faculty. This training was made possible through grant funds.
In the next two weeks, Dr. Beane will speak to every student in the district. Parents and the community will also have an opportunity to hear Dr Beane speak. He and his wife have dedicated the rest of their lives to preventing and stopping bullying. Their son was bullied in middle school and high school. The persistent mistreatment caused him to be depressed and to suffer from Post Traumatic Stress. Bullying contributed to him dying a broken man at the age of 23.
The Bully Free Program is the most complete and comprehensive anti-bullying program and has been adopted by schools and districts around the United States. One of Dr. Beane’s books is available in seven languages and is used around the world. The program includes materials and resources for school personnel, parents, and students. It also encourages parent and community involvement.
The program includes administrative strategies, teacher strategies, and curriculum which address all of the elements and components that must be present in effective anti-bullying programs. It also addresses all forms of bullying. The program promotes the Golden Rule – treat others the way you want to be treated. It also seeks to promote a sense of belonging and acceptance in all students. The program will also help school personnel prevent students from becoming victims, help bullies change, help victims cope with the bullying and have a sense of belonging. Since most bullying occurs in secret, the program empowers bystanders to take a stand against bullying. The program also seeks to educate school personnel, parents, students, and community representatives about the nature of bullying and its destructiveness.
Bullying is a form of overt and aggressive behavior that is intentional, hurtful (physical and/or psychological), and persistent (repeated). Bullied students are teased, harassed, and assaulted (verbally and/or physically) by one or more peers and often socially rejected by their peers. There is a real or perceived imbalance of strength (power). It is peer victimization or abuse that includes behaviors that are physical, verbal, social/relational and more recently includes the use of technology (cyberbullying). Approximately 20% or more students in every school are bullied. The percentage could be less or greater. The fact is, it is more intense today because more good students are joining in on the mistreatment, because they are afraid not to. They are also using technology to maximize their cruelty.
According to Dr. Beane, bullying is destructive to the well-being of students. It causes anger, fear, depression, anxiety, loneliness, post traumatic stress, eating disorders, self-mutilation, suicides and a variety of stress-related health problems. It also impacts learning and school attendance. Victimized children have trouble concentrating and the stress impacts their ability to learn and remember academic content. According to the National Psychological Association, 160,000 students stay home each day because of bullying. Bullying also encourages students to join gangs, hate groups, cults, and drug groups to find a sense of belonging and acceptance. It has also been a common theme in the school shootings. Approximately 75% of the shooters were victims of bullying. In the last several school shootings, all the shooters were victims. Dr. Beane said, “Some victims get to the point they don’t trust themselves to appropriately cope with the bullying, they don’t trust adults to help them and some do not trust life to be good to them anymore. So, either they harm themselves, commit suicide and/or strike out at the world they no longer trust to treat them right. That world is the school.”
Since bullying is a community problem, funds from the community have already been secured to provide the necessary training and instruction for school personnel, students and parents. Dr. Beane said, “I have never seen such a generous outpouring from a community. The citizens of Cookeville truly want to make a difference in the safety and well-being of students in their community and school system. Cookeville truly has a heart for kids.” The school system is to be commended for collaborating with other agencies in the community.
A program support kit for each school has already been purchased for each school. Funds are now being sought to purchase the rest of Bully Free Program materials/resources (books, brochures, posters, bracelets, etc.) that are to be used by teachers, counselors, parents, and students. Since bullying starts at age 3, increases toward the end of the elementary years, peaks in middle school, and continues through high school, the school system is making a system-wide effort to prevent and stop bullying. This will require additional financial support from the community.