Safety Thought: School Safety Policies

Albany Middle School in California is now using a “safe school ambassadors” program to keep the peace and build bridges among the school’s cliquey sixth through eighth grade students. According to the Albany Patch, 41 students who were considered influential to various cliques and social groups were selected to receive training in an effort to get rid of the bullying. Throughout their training, students learned how to talk, care and stand up for each other, no matter their background or clique. The “safe school ambassadors” have been given the tools to diffuse bullying, while being empowered to stand up and intervene when someone is being mistreated. The “safe school ambassadors” program is now being used in 900 schools around the country.

Knowing students have the power to influence each other, do you think a “safe school ambassadors” program would work well at your school? How have your students worked together to put an end to bullying at your school?

Source: Albany Patch

Youth violence: Victims who strike back

When victims of bullying have come to a breaking point and have finally had enough of the taunting and abuse, the situation often does not end well. Recently a video from an Australian school, where 7th grader Ritchard Gale bullied 10th grader Casey Heynes one too many times, went viral. The video, taken by another student, shows Gale taunting then punching Heynes multiple times. Once Heynes had enough, he fought back, eventually picking up Gale and slamming him on the ground. According to WXYZ, Gale was suspended from school for 21 days while Heynes was suspended for four days.

Why did it have to take a physical reaction from Heynes to stop the bullying? Do you agree with the punishment given to both of the students involved? What does your school do to punish the bullies, as well as the victims who react? Did this video teach a lesson to all of the bullies and bullied students who watched it?

Source: WXYZ.com

StudentWatch: Students Bullying Teachers

Student behavior at three schools in Bakersfield City School District (BCSD) in California has left many teachers anxious and afraid to go to work. Teachers say the student behavior at Curran Middle School, Walter Stiern Middle School and McKinley Elementary School is out of control and students are not being punished properly. The students are now bullying the teachers. At these schools, teachers are experiencing physical and verbal abuse such as shoving, slapping and yelling.

Many teachers suspect the district‘s goal to decrease suspensions is the reason students are not being properly punished. They believe the district is trying to prevent losing the funding that schools get for having students in class each day. According to Bakersfield.com, the BCSD Superintendent Michael Lingo said the district will put Curran, Stiern and McKinley “under a microscope” and he asked for a task force to be formed to study district discipline policies and issues.

With PublicSchoolWORKS’ Student Behavior Management System, BCSD could put their disciplining issues behind them. The system manages student discipline and other behavior data. It ensures that all staff and administrators maintain consistency in addressing student behaviors in compliance with board policies and federal, state and local regulations.

Source: Bakersfield.com