{"id":1467,"date":"2012-10-19T12:48:00","date_gmt":"2012-10-19T16:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/njcts.org\/tsparents\/?p=1467"},"modified":"2012-10-19T12:48:00","modified_gmt":"2012-10-19T16:48:00","slug":"october-is-national-bullying-prevention-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/njcts.org\/tsparents\/october-is-national-bullying-prevention-month\/","title":{"rendered":"October is National Bullying Prevention Month!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Today on the website of the New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome<\/a><\/strong>, there is a National Bullying Prevention Month story<\/a><\/strong> featuring Dr. Stuart Green, who is the director of the New Jersey Coalition for Bullying Awareness and Prevention<\/a><\/strong> and an Honorary Committee member of the 3rd annual Youth Advocate 5K<\/a><\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Dr. Green devotes a lot of his time toward anti-bullying efforts, and his advocacy played a big role in New Jersey developing the toughest anti-bullying laws in the country. After you read the National Bullying Prevention Month article<\/a><\/strong>, come back here to read more of Dr. Green’s thoughts about bullying, why it happens, where it happens and how it happens.<\/em><\/p>\n

Childhood bullying primarily occurs in schools. Bullying is almost\u00a0always a pattern of negative acts, not a single incident. If not\u00a0prevented, and then not adequately addressed, it typically extends over\u00a0the course of months or even years.<\/p>\n

The primary cause of bullying is the\u00a0culture and climate of the school in which it occurs. Although most\u00a0bullying occurs between peers, the primarily responsibility for\u00a0preventing and addressing bullying belongs to school leaders and staff.<\/p>\n

A critical factor in whether a school adequately addresses bullying is\u00a0the level of expectation and support in the larger adult and surrounding\u00a0community, from parents to community leaders. Therefore, the effort a\u00a0school and community make to have an active, engaged, ongoing\u00a0relationship, and focus on preventing and addressing bullying, is of\u00a0great importance.<\/p>\n

In this effort, a “town-wide anti-bullying campaign”\u00a0can be a helpful anchor and motivator. A campaign can help both schools\u00a0and everyone in the communities be “on the same page” in understanding\u00a0and addressing bullying. In addition to the school district and the\u00a0individual schools themselves, the town’s social and business networks,\u00a0institutions and organizations such as chambers of commerce, the\u00a0interfaith clergy council, and the town’s recreation department are\u00a0natural leaders for such efforts.<\/p>\n

The faith communities, in particular,\u00a0should be prioritizing addressing bullying. Every religion’s stated\u00a0values stand in sharp contrast to the existence of bullying, which is\u00a0essentially systematic violence directed toward vulnerable children. And\u00a0there are few experiences more corrosive to children’s spiritual\u00a0engagement and development than the experience of being repeatedly hurt\u00a0in settings for which — children well understand –adults are\u00a0responsible.<\/p>\n

The modern understanding of bullying is very different than\u00a0traditional views. But those mistaken traditional views — the myths of\u00a0bullying — are still widely held, despite the evidence. Therefore, an\u00a0important starting point for a town-wide anti-bullying initiative is\u00a0community education which presents the modern understanding of the\u00a0nature of bullying, and what can be done to effectively address it.<\/p>\n

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