WDE Anti-Bully Grant

Unsubscribe Forward to a Friend Having trouble viewing this email? Please click here         To ensure delivery, please add mike@balanceeducation.net to your address book. www.StandUpToBullying.net WDE Anti-Bully Grant The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) is making funds available for the 2012-2013 school year for the purpose of helping schools and districts acquire either programmatically mature/evidence-based anti-bullying programs or innovative programs to make the largest positive impact possible in reducing school bullying. Grant Application 2012 School Safety Initiative Contact Bruce Hayes Bruce.Hayes@wyo.gov  Schedule 2012 - 2013 Bullying Prevention Workshops  info@StandUpToBullying.net 802-362-5448 Mike Dreiblatt is an outstanding national speaker and author who provides dynamic, practical seminars and workshops to students, school staff, administrators, parents and community members.     Using humor and practical strategies, Mike teaches best practices and realistic strategies that can be used immediately. A former teacher, Mike is an expert in bullying and violence prevention, character education, and discipline of students with special needs. See Mike In Action!!! Definition of Bullying Physical Bullying Verbal Bullying Elementary School Types of Bullying High School Types of Bullying Forgive Yourself Bystanders--The Crowd Bystander Responsibilities Ways to Stop Bullying Longer Middle School Presentation Assertive Communication Techniques for Staff Mike's book, How to Stop Bullying and Social Aggression, has been recognized as a practical resource to teach character development andreinforce pro-social behavior. Teasing vs. Taunting How to Respond to a Verbal Bully Click Here to Purchase                                                                                                                                  $36.95 (includes S/H)  Lessons and Activities That Teach Empathy, Friendship and Respect Fax POs to 1-802-549-5024 Balance Educational Services 136 Clover Lane Manchester Center, Vt 05255 Book Reviews "This timely book includes perfectly sequenced, content-enriched, practical lessons that will enhance any anti-bullying effort. The student-focused activities will facilitate and maintain learning of important anti-bullying concepts that can never be overemphasized." —Allan L. Beane, Author of The Bully Free Classroom "A practical book packed with the kinds of anti-bullying strategies that teachers, coaches, therapists, and kids regularly request. Every chapter is packed with tips on how to stay physically and emotionally safe when bullying occurs, and children are coached to practice assertive behaviors and avoid the victim role." —Cheryl Dellasega, Author of Mean Girls Grown Up Bullying Prevention Workshops Students, Parents and Staff info@StandUpToBullying.net 802-362-5448 Unsubscribe Forward to a Friend Having trouble viewing this email? Please click here         To ensure delivery, please add mike@balanceeducation.net to your address book.

Harassment, Bullying And Free Expression: Guidelines For Public Schools Seek Middle Ground

Unsubscribe Forward to a Friend Having trouble viewing this email? Please click here         To ensure delivery, please add mike@balanceeducation.net to your address book. www.StandUpToBullying.net Harassment, Bullying And Free Expression: Guidelines For Public Schools Seek Middle Ground Religion News Service  | By Lauren Markoe WASHINGTON (RNS) When Sally tells Jimmy that he's going to hell for believing in a false religion, is that Sally exercising her First Amendment right to free expression, or is that Billy getting bullied? A broad coalition of educators and religious groups -- from the National Association of Evangelicals to the National School Boards Association -- on Tuesday (May 22) endorsed a new pamphlet to help teachers tackle such thorny questions. Authored chiefly by the American Jewish Committee, "Harassment, Bullying and Free Expression: Guidelines for Free and Safe Public Schools," contains 11 pages of advice on balancing school safety and religious freedom. "There are those who believe that we can't have restriction on bullying and protect free speech; Conversely there are those who think that the rules against bullying are so important that they trump any concern for free speech," said Marc Stern, the AJC's chief counsel and lead author of the pamphlet. "The organizations that have joined in these guidelines believe that that's a false choice." Among other groups endorsing the pamphlet: the Muslim Public Affairs Council, the Christian Legal Society, the American Association of School Administrators, the Hindu American Foundation, the Islamic Society of North America, the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations. A national conversation on bullying that began about a decade ago has been punctuated in recent years by the highly publicized suicides of harassed gay students, and "Bully," a new documentary on the subject. Now the federal government, 49 states and the District Columbia have anti-bullying policies in place, noted Charles C. Haynes, director of the nonprofit, Washington-based Religious Freedom Education Project/First Amendment Center, which funded the pamphlet. And while cases in which these rights conflict in schools are rare, they do happen. "There have been recently in the news some situations in which anti-bullying policies have been used to punish Christian students for expressing their personal religious beliefs while at school," said Kim Colby, senior counsel of the Christian Legal Society. Colby cited the case of a Fort Worth high school student last year. In German class, Dakota Ary said he believed homosexuality is wrong, and got suspended for it. His teacher had called the comment an instance of possible bullying. Ary's suspension was later reduced. Stern said the pamphlet was not written in reaction to such cases. "Each side to this debate can cite horror stories," Stern said. What the pamphlet hopefully will do, he continued, is give educators a framework to avoid the horror stories, and teach students how to express themselves civilly in a democratic society. The pamphlet can fill a need the judicial system has not, said Francisco M. Negron, general counsel to the National School Boards Association. "It talks about the difference between what constitutes a personal attack, and the expression of an idea," said Negron. The pamphlet is based on current law governing speech rights and public schools. Private schools have far more leeway in regulating student speech. Generally, though, giving students more, not fewer, opportunities to express themselves tends to dampen the most noxious speech, Haynes said. "Most of the time you have problems when schools try to censor the kids from saying anything," he said. "When they're given an opportunity to be civil about their views, and to have a forum that is theirs, in my experience, most students take that very seriously and are very responsible." Some excerpts from the pamphlet: "Words that convey ideas are one thing; words that are used as assault weapons quite another." "Repeatedly bombarding a fellow student with otherwise protected speech, even if it ostensibly conveys an idea, can also constitute harassment." "Schools themselves are free to communicate in a non-coercive way their own views on subjects that generate controversy in the community." Download the Pamphlet Schedule 2012 - 2013 Bullying Prevention Workshops  info@StandUpToBullying.net 802-362-5448 Mike Dreiblatt is an outstanding national speaker and author who provides dynamic, practical seminars and workshops to students, school staff, administrators, parents and community members.     Using humor and practical strategies, Mike teaches best practices and realistic strategies that can be used immediately. A former teacher, Mike is an expert in bullying and violence prevention, character education, and discipline of students with special needs. See Mike In Action!!! Definition of Bullying Physical Bullying Verbal Bullying Elementary School Types of Bullying High School Types of Bullying Forgive Yourself Bystanders--The Crowd Bystander Responsibilities Ways to Stop Bullying Longer Middle School Presentation Assertive Communication Techniques for Staff Mike's book, How to Stop Bullying and Social Aggression, has been recognized as a practical resource to teach character development andreinforce pro-social behavior. Teasing vs. Taunting How to Respond to a Verbal Bully Click Here to Purchase                                                                                                                                  $36.95 (includes S/H)  Lessons and Activities That Teach Empathy, Friendship and Respect Fax POs to 1-802-549-5024 Balance Educational Services 136 Clover Lane Manchester Center, Vt 05255 Book Reviews "This timely book includes perfectly sequenced, content-enriched, practical lessons that will enhance any anti-bullying effort. The student-focused activities will facilitate and maintain learning of important anti-bullying concepts that can never be overemphasized." —Allan L. Beane, Author of The Bully Free Classroom "A practical book packed with the kinds of anti-bullying strategies that teachers, coaches, therapists, and kids regularly request. Every chapter is packed with tips on how to stay physically and emotionally safe when bullying occurs, and children are coached to practice assertive behaviors and avoid the victim role." —Cheryl Dellasega, Author of Mean Girls Grown Up Bullying Prevention Workshops Students, Parents and Staff info@StandUpToBullying.net 802-362-5448 Unsubscribe Forward to a Friend Having trouble viewing this email? Please click here         To ensure delivery, please add mike@balanceeducation.net to your address book.

Girls and Bullying

www.StandUpToBullying.net Girls and Bullying When most people picture a "typical" bully, they imagine a boy who is bigger or older than his classmates, who doesn't do well in school, who fights, and who likes it when others are scared of him. Girls usually face a different type of bully, one who may not look as scary from the outside but who can cause just as much harm. What's She Like The typical girl who bullies is popular, well-liked by adults, does well in school, and can even be friends with the girls she bullies. She doesn't get into fist fights, although some girls who bully do. Instead, she spreads rumors, gossips, excludes others, shares secrets, and teases girls about their hair, weight, intelligence, and athletic ability. She usually bullies in a group and others join in or pressure her to bully. The Effects This kind of bullying can have just as serious consequences as physical bullying. It can cause a drop in grades, low self esteem, anxiety, depression, drug use, and poor eating habits in girls who are bullied. This kind of bullying is harder to see. Most of the time adults don't realize when girls are being bullied in this way. What You Can Do One of the best ways to stop this form of bullying is for the girls who see it or who are stuck in the middle to speak up and say that it is not okay. But only 15 percent of girls speak up, usually because they're afraid the bully will turn on them next. Parents and other adults can help girls beat bullying by teaching them how to stand up for themselves and their friends and by taking action themselves. Here are a few things to remember: Encourage kids to be kind and to help others, particularly if they see someone being bullied. Praise them when they do so. Tell girls they are special, and point out why. Help girls get involved in activities outside of school so they can make friends in different social circles.  Don't push girls to be in the "right" class or on the "right" sports team. Let them choose what to play and with whom. Stop bullying when you see it. Don't let anyone, even your daughter, make fun of someone else even if she says she is only "joking." Be a good example. Don't gossip or make fun of others in front of young girls. Talk to girls about their friends, what they do together, and how they treat each other. Ask them what makes a good friend, and whether their friends have these qualities.  If you know bullying is happening at school, speak to school officials and ask what they are doing to stop it. http://www.ncpc.org/topics/bullying/girls-and-bullying Schedule 2012 - 2013 Bullying Prevention Workshops  info@StandUpToBullying.net 802-362-5448 Mike Dreiblatt is an outstanding national speaker and author who provides dynamic, practical seminars and workshops to students, school staff, administrators, parents and community members.     Using humor and practical strategies, Mike teaches best practices and realistic strategies that can be used immediately. A former teacher, Mike is an expert in bullying and violence prevention, character education, and discipline of students with special needs. See Mike In Action!!! Definition of Bullying Physical Bullying Verbal Bullying Elementary School Types of Bullying High School Types of Bullying Forgive Yourself Bystanders--The Crowd Bystander Responsibilities Ways to Stop Bullying Longer Middle School Presentation Assertive Communication Techniques for Staff                                                                                                                                  $36.95 (includes S/H)  Lessons and Activities That Teach Empathy, Friendship and Respect Fax POs to 1-802-549-5024 Balance Educational Services 136 Clover Lane Manchester Center, Vt 05255 Click Here to Purchase Mike's book, How to Stop Bullying and Social Aggression, has been recognized as a practical resource to teach and reinforce character development and pro-social behavior. Teasing vs. Taunting How to Respond to a Verbal Bully Book Reviews "This timely book includes perfectly sequenced, content-enriched, practical lessons that will enhance any anti-bullying effort. The student-focused activities will facilitate and maintain learning of important anti-bullying concepts that can never be overemphasized." —Allan L. Beane, Author of The Bully Free Classroom "A practical book packed with the kinds of anti-bullying strategies that teachers, coaches, therapists, and kids regularly request. Every chapter is packed with tips on how to stay physically and emotionally safe when bullying occurs, and children are coached to practice assertive behaviors and avoid the victim role." —Cheryl Dellasega, Author of Mean Girls Grown Up info@StandUpToBullying.net Unsubscribe Forward to a Friend Having trouble viewing this email? Please click here         To ensure delivery, please add mike@balanceeducation.net to your address book.