October is Bullying Prevention Awareness Month
October is Bullying Prevention Month. During this month, we educate, raise awareness, and take action against bullying. Bullying prevention emphasizes the importance of feeling safe and supported and acting with kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. The month is dedicated to promoting dialogue between educators, parents, and students on their roles in addressing and preventing bullying.
Did You Know?
In 2006, the Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights (PACER) National Bullying Prevention Center set out to change the mindset that bullying is just a part of growing up or something every youth has to go through. Living in this Information Age, the impact of bullying is ever more apparent as students must learn to navigate the social realities of the in-person world and social media world. Our message to them is that no one deserves to be bullied and all students deserve to feel safe and supported!
Bullying is a community-wide issue. More than 1 out of every 5 students will be bullied this year. Bullying directly affects students' ability to learn — they may no longer want to go to school, they may find it difficult to concentrate, and they may suffer a decline in grades. Bullying may cause physical symptoms like stomachaches and mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. On a deeper level, bullying causes students to lose their sense of self. At its worst, bullying can be a reason leading to school violence and self-harm.
Bullying affects the student who is targeted, witnesses who may feel helpless and afraid, and the person doing the bullying. This is why it's important to change our mindset about bullying; while it may be looked at as just devastating while it is happening, the negative effects of bullying can last all of us a lifetime.
Because of this, we all have a role to play. Students can be especially effective at bullying intervention — adults must encourage young people to be supportive of those experiencing bullying and students must be educated on how to advocate for themselves and others. One solution is OK2SAY, a student safety program that allows anyone to confidentially report tips on potential harm, bullying, and/or criminal activities directed at students, school staff, or schools.
We are united by the principle that bullying is never acceptable. We encourage students and staff to wear orange throughout the month to show our community and anyone being bullied that they are not alone and inspire others to speak and reach out. Join our mission on Unity Day, Wednesday, Oct. 18, by wearing and sharing orange to unite for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion!
Bullying Prevention Resources
Oktoba ni Mwezi wa Ujuzi wa Kuzuia Uonevu Oktoba ni Mwezi wa Kuzuia Uonevu. Katika mwezi huu, tunaelimisha, kuongeza ufahamu, na kuchukua hatua dhidi ya unyanyasaji. Kuzuia unyanyasaji wa kingono hukazia umuhimu wa kuhisi salama na kuungwa mkono na kutenda kwa fadhili, kukubali, na kujumuisha. Mwezi huu umewekwa wakfu kwa kukuza mazungumzo kati ya walimu, wazazi, na wanafunzi juu ya majukumu yao katika kushughulikia na kuzuia unyanyasaji. Je, Ulijua? "Mwaka 2006, shirika la ""Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights"" (PACER) lilijitolea kuondoa wazo la kuwa unyanyasaji ni sehemu ya kukua au kitu ambacho kila kijana lazima apitie." Kuishi katika Enzi hii ya Habari, athari za unyanyasaji ni dhahiri zaidi kwani wanafunzi lazima wajifunze kusafiri katika hali halisi ya kijamii ya ulimwengu wa mtu binafsi na ulimwengu wa media ya kijamii. Ujumbe wetu kwao ni kwamba hakuna mtu anayestahili kudhulumiwa na wanafunzi wote wanastahili kujisikia salama na kuungwa mkono! Kudhulumu ni tatizo la jumuiya nzima. Zaidi ya mwanafunzi mmoja kati ya watano atafanyiwa unyanyasaji mwaka huu. Uonevu huathiri moja kwa moja uwezo wa wanafunzi wa kujifunza - huenda wakakataa kwenda shuleni, huenda wakapata ugumu wa kukaza fikira, na huenda wakapata hasara katika maksi. Uonevu unaweza kusababisha dalili za kimwili kama vile maumivu ya tumbo na matatizo ya afya ya akili kama vile unyogovu na wasiwasi. Kwa kina zaidi, unyanyasaji wa kingono husababisha wanafunzi wapoteze hisia zao za kibinafsi. Katika hali mbaya zaidi, unyanyasaji wa kingono waweza kuwa sababu inayoongoza kwenye jeuri shuleni na kujidhuru. Uonevu huathiri mwanafunzi anayelengwa, mashahidi ambao huenda wakahisi kutokuwa na msaada na kuogopa, na mtu anayefanya unyanyasaji. Hii ni kwa nini ni muhimu kubadilisha mawazo yetu kuhusu unyanyasaji; wakati inaweza kuonekana kama tu kuharibu wakati ni kutokea, athari mbaya ya unyanyasaji inaweza kudumu sisi sote maisha. Kwa sababu hiyo, sisi sote tuna fungu la kucheza. Wanafunzi wanaweza kuwa hasa ufanisi katika kuingilia unyanyasaji - watu wazima lazima kuhamasisha vijana kuwa msaada wa wale uzoefu unyanyasaji na wanafunzi lazima kuwa na elimu juu ya jinsi ya kutetea wenyewe na wengine. "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, ""OK2SAY"" ni programu ya usalama wa wanafunzi ambayo inaruhusu mtu yeyote kuripoti kwa siri juu ya madhara ya uwezekano, udhalilishaji, na au shughuli za uhalifu zinazolenga wanafunzi, wafanyikazi wa shule, au shule." Tunaunganishwa na kanuni ya kwamba unyanyasaji-jamaa haukubaliki kamwe. """Tunawatia moyo wanafunzi na wafanyakazi kuvaa rangi ya machungwa mwezi mzima kuonyesha jamii yetu na mtu yeyote anayedhulumiwa kwamba hawapo peke yao na kuwachochea wengine kuongea na kufikia." Kujiunga na ujumbe wetu katika Siku ya Umoja, Jumatano, Oktoba 18, kwa kuvaa na kushiriki machungwa kuungana kwa fadhili, kukubali, na kujumuisha! Vifaa vya Kuzuia Uonevu