-So we respond to this understanding in part with strong law (and NJ’s is still not strong enough, but we’re not finished). To be strong, an anti-bullying law must do two things above all: First, the law must enumerate specifically name the most – vulnerable populations, and at the top of that list is diverse gender identity and expression, children who identify as lesbian, gay or transgender or don’t fit gender stereotypes; and also children with special health or learning needs. And the law must require that schools strongly affirm and support all its minorities and vulnerable populations. Second, the law must require that adults address bullying. And a key part of that is that administrators, staff, coaches, volunteers, all adults in schools who intimidate, demean, humiliate and otherwise treat children and adult peers negatively and harshly be confronted, helped to change their behavior, or be gotten away from this critical setting, filled as it is with children. __________________ -In all our efforts, Dan Olweus must be recognized as the founding father of the field of childhood bullying prevention and intervention. Much of what we now know are points Prof. Olweus first made, through his studies in Norway four decades ago, which thru subsequent study by he and others, have been supported. This is not said to strongly endorse the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, or any packaged program however golden the lineage. The key to addressing bullying is the school community’s belief that this issue is a continuing priority for leadership, this year and every year to come, that there is wide and ideally universal by staff, and that anti-bullying efforts are integrated ‘buy-in’ with all other social and emotional and curricular efforts in the school. Just buying and bringing in a program won’t do those things. But once there is such a commitment, there are a number of programs that may help structure and reinforce such a commitment. -But the fact is that before Olweus, everything we thought we knew about bullying was wrong. -Before Olweus, it was believed that bullying had its origin not only in children inherently bad, but in bad families and bad communities and then made its way over into the pristine confines of schools. Now we know that bullying primarily
-So we respond to this understanding in part with strong law (and NJ’s is still not strong enough, but we’re not finished). To be strong, an anti-bullying law must do two things above all: First, the law must enumerate – specifically name the most vulnerable populations, and at the top of that list is diverse gender identity and expression, children who identify as lesbian, gay or transgender or don’t fit gender stereotypes; and also children with special health or learning needs. And the law must require that schools strongly affirm and support all its minorities and vulnerable populations. Second, the law must require that adults address bullying. And a key part of that is that administrators, staff, coaches, volunteers, all adults in schools who intimidate, demean, humiliate and otherwise treat children and adult peers negatively and harshly be confronted, helped to change their behavior, or be gotten away from this critical setting, filled as it is with children. __________________ -In all our efforts, Dan Olweus must be recognized as the founding father of the field of childhood bullying prevention and intervention. Much of what we now know are points Prof. Olweus first made, through his studies in Norway four decades ago, which thru subsequent study by he and others, have been supported. This is not said to strongly endorse the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, or any packaged program however golden the lineage. The key to addressing bullying is the school community’s belief that this issue is a continuing priority for leadership, this year and every year to come, that there is wide and ideally universal ‘buy-in’ by staff, and that anti-bullying efforts are integrated with all other social and emotional and curricular efforts in the school. Just buying and bringing in a program won’t do those things. But once there is such a commitment, there are a number of programs that may help structure and reinforce such a commitment. -But the fact is that before Olweus, everything we thought we knew about bullying was wrong. -Before Olweus, it was believed that bullying had its origin not only in children inherently bad, but in bad families and bad communities and then made its way over into the pristine confines of schools. Now we know that bullying primarily
Bullyingtestimony6-18-12.docx