Don’t laugh at me. Don’t call me names. Don’t get your pleasure from my pain.
In the years since Peter, Paul and Mary sang these words, bullying hasn’t disappeared from our schools. While hurt feelings may be part of growing up, at its worst, bullying can create a serious disruption to a school’s climate that gets in the way of learning.
To address bullying head-on, Maryland School in the Washington Elementary District implemented the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program in 2004.
The Olweus [pronounced Ol-VEY-us] Program is a comprehensive, school-wide curriculum that is used in elementary, middle and junior high schools in more than a dozen countries.
The program has been found to reduce bullying among children, improve the social climate of classrooms, and reduce related antisocial behaviors, such as vandalism and truancy.
“This program has proven to be very successful for our school, students, and community,” said Amanda Quine, Maryland School social worker. “Students have gained a sense of safety and security in the classroom, at recess, and in going to and from school. They have also learned the importance of trusting the caring adults in their life at school; by confiding in them their fears, their safety can be promoted.”
The Olweus Program requires significant, ongoing commitment from administrators, teachers, staff, parents and students alike. In order to be successful, each school must develop and follow an anti-bullying plan. The program works best when there are school-wide rules against bullying, meetings with students and parents to eradicate bullying behavior, and anonymous reporting of bullying activity.
“We all play a role in bullying, either to encourage or discourage it, depending upon our behaviors,” said Principal Adele Russell. “Maryland students, staff, parents, and the community understand and believe that bullying is not tolerated and our daily actions demonstrate this.”
“We, as a district, are focused on the safety of all of our students,” said Washington Superintendent Susan Cook. “Each student has the right to go to school every day without fear of being bullied by anyone.”
Let’s all do our part to stop bullying. It begins with each of us.
For more information, visit www.clemson.edu/olweus. To view a video of “Don’t laugh at me,” visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbBWsscli_4.
