On February 1, 2010, Mayor Deke Copenhaver issued a proclamation that February 2010 will serve as “Bullying Awareness Prevention” Month for the City of Augusta. The Richmond County School System believes that every child has the right to a safe learning environment. Hence, February’s newsletters will include information about bullying in general and what parents, students, and school staff can do to help eliminate this behavior.

According to the website www.bullying.org, bullying is a conscious, willful, deliberate, hostile and repeated behavior by one or more people, which is intended to harm others. Bullying takes many forms, and can include many different behaviors, such as physical violence and attacks, verbal taunts, name-calling and put-downs, threats and intimidation, extortion or stealing of money and possessions and/or exclusions from the peer group. Bullying is the assertion of power through aggression. Its forms change with age: school playground bullying, sexual harassment, gang attacks, date violence, assault, marital violence, child abuse, workplace harassment and elder abuse (Pepler and Craig, 1997).

Here are some myths and facts about bullying:
•Myth: Bullying is just a stage, a normal part of life – I went through it, my kids will too.
Fact: Bullying is not “normal” or socially acceptable behavior. We give bullies power by our acceptance of this behavior.
•Myth: Just stand up for yourself and hit them back.
Fact: While there are some times when people can be forced to defend themselves, hitting back usually makes the bullying worse and increases the risk for serious physical harm.
•Myth: Bullying is a school problem, the teachers should handle it.
Fact: Bullying is a broader social problem that often happens outside of schools, on the street, at shopping centers, the local pool, summer camp and in the adult workplace.
•Myth: People are born bullies.
Fact: Bullying is a learned behavior and behaviors can be changed.

During the month of February, Ms. Flavin, our guidance counselor, will be discussing bullying with the students. Please help us in this important effort by talking to your children about bullying and the importance of them speaking up to an adult if they are being bullied. ALL of our children deserve to feel safe – and that’s exactly the type of environment we want for them at Merry.