Making it Better for Bullied Students

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Shaping the Future
Making it Better for Bullied Students
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Quote
. . . the most deadly of all possible sins is
the mutilation of a childs spirit. -Erik
Erickson Robert E. Owens. Queer Kids The
Challenges and Promise for Lesbian, Gay, and
Bisexual Youth. (New York Harrington Park
Press, 1998), 101.
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Bullying Defined
Accessed January 2012
From Bully Free Alberta website Verbal bullying -
name-calling, sarcasm, teasing, rumours,
threatening, negative references to culture,
ethnicity, race, religion, gender, or sexual
orientation, unwanted sexual comments Social
Bullying - mobbing, scapegoating, excluding from
a group, humiliating others
http//www.bullyfreealberta.ca/bullying.htm
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Bullying Defined
Accessed January 2012
From Bully Free Alberta website Physical Bullying
- hitting, poking, pinching, chasing, shoving,
coercing, destroying or stealing belongings,
unwanted sexual touching. Cyber Bullying - using
the internet or text messaging to intimidate,
put-down, spread rumours or make fun of someone.
http//www.bullyfreealberta.ca/bullying.htm
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Bullying Frequency
Accessed January 2012

• From Bully Free Alberta website
• Approximately 1 in 10 children bully others
• As many as 25 of children in grades 4 to 6 have
  been bullied
• 2004 Journal of Pediatrics study found that about
  1 in 7 Canadian children aged 11 to 16 are
  victims of bullying

http//www.bullyfreealberta.ca/bullying.htm
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Workplace bullying can be an issue for students
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Accessed January 2012
Workplace Bullying
"In 1994, Staffordshire University Business
School published the results of a survey
indicating that 1 in 2 UK employees have been
bullied at work during their working life."
http//www.workplacebullying.co.uk/aethesis.html
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Accessed January 2012
Workplace Bullying
2010 Workplace Bullying Institute study (U.S.)

• 35 of workers experienced bullying firsthand
• 62 of bullies are men 58 of targets are women
• Women bullies target women in 80 of cases
• Bullying is 4X more prevalent than illegal
  harassment (2007 study)
• Majority (68) of bullying is same-gender
  harassment

http//www.workplacebullying.org/wbiresearch/2010-
wbi-national-survey/
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Accessed January 2012
Workplace Bullying

• Might be workplace bullying if . . .
• constantly picked on
• humiliated in front of colleagues
• regularly unfairly treated
• physically or verbally abused
• blamed for problems caused by others
• always given too much to do
• regularly threatened with the sack
• unfairly passed over for promotion or denied
  training opportunities

http//www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/ResolvingWo
rkplaceDisputes/DiscriminationAtWork/DG_10026670
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Dual Identities
Safety
Queer Christian
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Cannot learn or work in atmosphere of fear
Queer Christian
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Student Quote
Everywhere I go I think Am I safe here? Is
someone waiting to get me? So many people get
bashed. Robert E. Owens. Queer Kids The
Challenges and Promise for Lesbian, Gay, and
Bisexual Youth. (New York Harrington Park
Press, 1998), 72.
Queer Christian
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Student Quote
Dual Identities
people used to pee on me in the shower . . . I
would be standing in the urinal and somebody
would come up and kick me in the small of my back
. . . Robert E. Owens. Queer Kids The
Challenges and Promise for Lesbian, Gay, and
Bisexual Youth. (New York Harrington Park
Press, 1998), 96-97.
Queer Christian
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Racist/Ethnic Bullying
Racist bullying can be identified by the
motivation of the bully, the language used,
and/or by the fact that victims are singled out
because of the colour of their skin, the way they
talk, their ethnic grouping or by their religious
or cultural practices.
Scottish website
http//www.antibullying.net/racistinfo3.htm
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Student Quote
karl - 1
it started when I was in grade 3 . . . I was beat
up, called names, and even got my face put in dog
feces. Not a day went by that this kind of thing
didnt happen to me . . . After a while of being
called a loser, freak, nerd, and every other name
out there I started to believe it. I felt so
empty, like I didnt matter. I feared going to
school.
http//stopabully.ca/resources/bullying-victim-sup
port-letters
Accessed December 2011
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Student Quote
karl - 2
Even in the summer when there was no school, I
still got tortured. I did not leave my house very
much. It got so bad that when I was 13 I tried to
kill myself. My parents landlord at the time had
come over for something and found me bleeding, he
took me to the hospital saving my life . . .
http//stopabully.ca/resources/bullying-victim-sup
port-letters
Accessed December 2011
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Student Quote
karl - 3
Im now 34 years old and still feel much the same
way as I did when I was a kid. The pain and the
feeling that Im a loser is still there. I still
have troubles making friends and have never felt
what it is like to have someone love me. There is
not a day that goes by that I dont think about
what it was like growing up as a kid.
http//stopabully.ca/resources/bullying-victim-sup
port-letters
Accessed December 2011
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Accessed December 2011
Religious Bullying
"At other schools where the girls wear scarves on
their heads they are teased and the scarves are
pulled off. My mum had heard of that happening
and told me that it never happens at this school
and it hasn't." . . . Year 10 girl (Grade
10) http//www.bullyingnoway.com.au/issues/religi
on.shtml
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Accessed December 2011
Religious Bullying
"I go to a country school and most of the kids go
to the local church. These kids make fun of any
of us other kids who go to different churches or
don't go at all." ...Year 7 student http//www.b
ullyingnoway.com.au/issues/religion.shtml
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Accessed December 2011
Religious Bullying

• School communities need to
• develop awareness of the different religious
  groups within the community
• adopt a pluralist viewpoint that affirms the
  value of other religions
• establish links with different religious
  communities and their support material

http//www.bullyingnoway.com.au/issues/religion.sh
tml
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Religious Bullying
Accessed December 2011

• School communities need to
• engage in dialogue between members of different
  religions . . .
• create opportunities to explore different
  religious traditions . . .
• challenge stereotypes and behaviours that harass
  or discriminate . . .
• accommodate spiritual diversity of their students

http//www.bullyingnoway.com.au/issues/religion.sh
tml
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Accessed December 2011
Socioeconomic Bullying
"We get so much pressure to wear the right brand
name clothes. People who can't, they're isolated,
criticised for not being like the cool trendies."
... Year 11 student
"Finding a voice to speak up about bullying and
harassment on the basis of poverty can be almost
impossible for students at the receiving end.
Both bullying and poverty are personally
distressing and socially unacceptable." ...Support
teacher
http//www.bullyingnoway.com.au/issues/socioeconom
ic.shtml
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Accessed January 2012
Disability Bullying
"I'm deaf and my friends have told me that some
of my peers follow me making fun of me and the
way that I speak." ...Year 9 student (Grade 9)
http//www.bullyingnoway.com.au/issues/disability.
shtml
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Academic Bullying

• Bullying due to limited academic ability or due
  to excellent academic ability
• Nerd
• Retart

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Accessed January 2012
Gender Bullying

• Bullying due to non-traditional behavior
• Girls called slut', 'whore', 'bitch' and 'butch'
• Boys called 'poof', 'wuss' and 'girlie'

http//www.bullyingnoway.com.au/j/gender.shtml
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Sexuality Bullying
Bullying due to perceived sexual orientation,
gender identity or gender expression
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Universal Issue
Review of 28 random US school shootings from
1982-2001 found nearly every case shooter was
constantly bullied, beat up, and gay-baited
(inadequate gender performance-not masculine
enough) . Michael Kimmel and Matthew Mahler.
Adolescent Masculinity, Homophobia, and
Violence. American Behavioral Scientist. 46
(2003) 1439-1458.
Queer Christian
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Gay (83)Bitch (59)Slag (45)Poof (29)Batty
boy (29)Slut (26)Queer (26)Lezzie
(24.8)Homo (22)Faggot (11)Sissy
(5)Source ATL
Accessed January 2012
Insults UK Teachers Hear
From 2008/03/18 article
Most common insults heard by teachers 11 insults
total 4 not directly gay 1 not related to sexual
orientation, gender or gender expression
http//news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7289390.stm
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GLSEN's Playgrounds and Prejudice Elementary
School Climate - almost 1/2 of students hear
"gay" used in a negative way or hear the word
"retard" used as an insult - these are the most
commonly heard negative remarks in elementary
schools
Accessed January 2012
US Elementary Schools
Based on GLSEN study conducted in November and
December 2010
http//www.advocatesforyouth.org/blogs-main/advoca
tes-blog/1948-major-reports-this-week-on-bullying-
abortion
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Accessed January 2012
Canadian Study

• 3,700 students across Canada, 2,600 of which were
  straight surveyed conducted by Univ of Manitoba
  for EGALE
• 70 heard phrases like thats so gay and 48
  heard terms like faggot, lezbo and dyke
  every day

see Egale School Climate Survey 2009
http//www.parentcentral.ca/parent/education/artic
le/989881--gay-insults-so-common-in-schools-studen
ts-feel-unsafe-survey-finds
May 12 2011 story
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Accessed January 2012
Canadian Study

• 64 of queer students felt unsafe at school
• 21 of queer students report physical harassment
  or assault
• 10 of straight teens physically harassed or
  assaulted for being gay
• 58 of straight teens find homophobic comments
  upsetting

see Egale School Climate Survey 2009
http//www.parentcentral.ca/parent/education/artic
le/989881--gay-insults-so-common-in-schools-studen
ts-feel-unsafe-survey-finds
May 12 2011 story
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College Scene

• Univ. of Nebraska gay grad student - campus
  atmosphere climate of fear1
• The GLBT community still faces harassment and
  discrimination on this campus every day. I never
  know what 'personal opinions' I'm going to hear
  when I speak to faculty in the dinning room or
  halls, and I have to brace myself every time I
  read list serv emails."2
• 1Brown, Robert D., et. al., Campus Climate and
  Needs Assessment Study for Gay, Lesbian,
  Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) Students at the
  University of Nebraska-Lincoln Moving Beyond
  Tolerance Toward Empowerment. University of
  Nebraska Lincoln. November, 2002 May 12, 2011
  lthttp//www.unl.edu/cglbtc/reports/GLBT20Climate
  20Reprt20w20Tables.pdfgt
• 2Climate Survey 2006-2008-2010 A Presentation
  for Staff Council. St. Marys College of
  California. October 12, 2010 May 10, 2011
  lthttp//www.stmarys-ca.edu/about-smc/institutional
  - research/surveys/docs/ClimateSurvey2006-2008-201
  0STAFFpresentation-Final_000.pdfgt

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College Scene

• From St. Marys College of California Summary
  Climate Survey 2006-2008-2010
• 47 of faculty
• 37 of staff
• 45 of students occasionally or frequently heard
  disparaging or insensitive remarks about GLBT
• Sam Agronow. Summary Climate Survey
  2006-2008-2010. Saint Marys College of
  California. n.d. May 10, 2011 lthttp//www.stmarys-
  ca.edu/about-smc/institutional-research/surveys/do
  cs/SUMMARY- ClimateSurvey2006-2008-2010_000.pdfgt,
  2.

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Impact of Bullying
Accessed January 2012

• From Bully Free Alberta website
• Withdrawal from family and school - wanting to
  be left alone
• Shyness
• Stomachaches
• Headaches
• Panic Attacks
• Not being able to sleep
• Sleeping too much
• Being exhausted
• Nightmares

http//www.bullyfreealberta.ca/bullying.htm
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Health Issue
Study of 251 Grades 9-11 students in college prep
high school found boys found students bullied by
being called gay experienced greater
psychological distress, greater verbal physical
bullying, and more negative perceptions of their
school experiences than boys bullied for other
reasons. Susan Swearer, et. al., Youre So
Gay! Do Different Forms of Bullying Matter for
Adolescent Males? School Psychology Review. 37
(2008) 160-173.
Queer Christian
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Health Issue

• Now the question arises, How can a minority
  group suffer unjustified negative treatment and
  remain its equal in mental stability?
• Louis Diamant and Johnson C. Smith, eds.
  Preface. Homosexual Issues in the Workplace.
  Washington, DC Taylor and Francis, 1993.

Queer Christian
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Health Issue
Dual Identities
2002 Study of over 9,000 Grades 9 to 12 youth in
Massachusetts Vermont LGB Youth with high
levels of at-school victimization reported
increased levels of substance use, suicidality,
and sexual-risk behavior (than straight peers
with high levels of at-school victimization) Dani
el Bontempo, and Anthony DAugelli. Effects of
At-School Victimization and Sexual Orientation on
Lesbian, Gay, or Bisexual Youths Health Risk
Behavior. Journal of Adolescent Health. 30
(2002) 364-374.
Queer Christian
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Health Issue

• Literature review notes
• adults report - increased internalized
  homophobia, guilt, and self-blame after
  victimization
• Daniel Bontempo, and Anthony DAugelli. Effects
  of At-School Victimization and Sexual Orientation
  on Lesbian, Gay, or Bisexual Youths Health Risk
  Behavior. Journal of Adolescent Health. 30
  (2002) 364-374.

Queer Christian
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Not Yet Equal
Dual Identities

• Study Description
• Health survey admin to BC youth in grades 7 to 12
• Survey admin 3 times - 1992, 1998, 2003
• Large study - 75 of school districts took part
• over 30 thousand youth took part in most recent
  study
• Not Equal Yet The Health of Lesbian, Gay
  Bisexual Youth in BC. Vancouver McCreary
  Centre Society, 2007.

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Not Yet Equal
Dual Identities

• Findings (Dual minority identity)
• GLB youth more likely to report discrimination
  due to race, color, appearance, orientation
• Bi youth 50 X more likely to report
  discrimination due to race, color, appearance,
  orientation than straight youth
• Not Equal Yet The Health of Lesbian, Gay
  Bisexual Youth in BC. Vancouver McCreary
  Centre Society, 2007.

Queer Christian
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Not Yet Equal

• Findings
• GLB youth less likely to always feel safe at
  school
• More likely to have skipped classes in last month
• More likely to have carried a weapon to school in
  last month
• Not Equal Yet The Health of Lesbian, Gay
  Bisexual Youth in BC. Vancouver McCreary
  Centre Society, 2007.

Queer Christian
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Not Yet Equal

• Findings
• GLB youth more likely to report 1st sexual
  experience before 14 yrs
• GB males 3 x more likely involved in pregnancy
• GL females 2 to 3 x more likely to been pregnant
• Not Equal Yet The Health of Lesbian, Gay
  Bisexual Youth in BC. Vancouver McCreary
  Centre Society, 2007.

Queer Christian
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Not Yet Equal

• Findings-suicide attempts in last 12 months for
  each gender
• Gay males 3 x more likely bi males 4 x more
  likely
• Lesbians over 4.5 x more likely bi females 5 x
  more likely
• Not Equal Yet The Health of Lesbian, Gay
  Bisexual Youth in BC. Vancouver McCreary
  Centre Society, 2007.

Queer Christian
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Internalized Self-hate?

• Accessed December 2011
• Winnipeg Free Press
• Bullied teen pleads guilty to burning down his
  house
• By Mike McIntyre
• Posted 10/29/2011 325 AM Comments 8
  (including replies)
• 15-year-old African immigrant experiences
  repeated bullying and racial taunts in Winnipeg
  school his house down in a fit of anger

http//www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/132842743.h
tml
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Self-hate

• Look for
• Risk-taking sexual, and recreational behaviors
• Substance and alcohol abuse
• Pawn behavior (external locus of control)
• Choosing careers or jobs that are not gay
  friendly or minority group friendly
• Settling for partners that are abusive

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Self-hate
Dual Identities

• Look for
• Students aiming low
• Not performing to abilities
• Choosing pink triangle ghetto jobs
• Not self advocating
• Doormat or dictator responses to conflict
• Blaming everything on being queer

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Christian Identity HellwLosswSin
ShamewFearwRejection Compartmenta
lized Queer Identity
Queer Identity
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Queer Identity FearwRejection Compartme
ntalized Christian Identity
Christian Identity
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White Identity
ShamewFearwRejection Compartmentalized First
Nation Identity
First Nation Identity
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Compartmental ID

• People with dual minority identities could be at
  higher risk for suicide, due to reduced support
  in either minority community

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• Whats the point work?
• Cycling from damaged to healing to damaged
• School climate needs to be changed

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• Convince Admin.
• 1996-Jamie Nabozny won close to 1 million for
  pain suffering for 4 years of anti-gay
  bullying.
• 2002-Derek Henkle won 450 thousand.
• Ronald Russo. The Extent of Public Education
  Nondiscrimination Policy Protection for Lesbian,
  Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Students A
  National Study. Urban Education. 41 March
  (2006), 115-150.

Dual Identities
Queer Christian
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• Convince Admin.
• Henkles case. Transfered to a school for
  troublemakers after being lassoed around the neck
  threatened to be dragged behind a pickup. At
  that school punched repeatedly in front of 2
  police who stood by watched
• Ronald Russo. The Extent of Public Education
  Nondiscrimination Policy Protection for Lesbian,
  Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Students A
  National Study. Urban Education. 41 March
  (2006), 115-150.

Dual Identities
Queer Christian
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• Convince Admin.
• Transferred to 3rd school. Official at new school
  blamed Henkle for acting too much like a fag
• Ronald Russo. The Extent of Public Education
  Nondiscrimination Policy Protection for Lesbian,
  Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Students A
  National Study. Urban Education. 41 March
  (2006), 115-150.

Dual Identities
Queer Christian
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Zero Tolerance
Dual Identities

• Insults
• Homophobic
• Racist, religious, ethnic
• Sexist
• Ability-related
• Weight/physical build
• Serious bullying
• Threats
• Violence, fighting

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Careers

• Career counselling is non-directive
• Empowers people to set life direction
• Empowering is affirmation

Queer Christian
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Spirituality as Therapy

• Attributed to Nelson Mandela in inaugural speech
  in 1994
• Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, handsome,
  talented, and fabulous? Actually who are you not
  to be? You are a child of God. Your playing
  small does not serve the world (73)
• Hinnant, Olive Elaine. God Comes Out A Queer
  Homiletic. Cleveland Pilgrim Press, 2007.

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Watch News

• Colorado passed Prop 2 - forbidding GL human
  rights protection
• GL high school drop out rate doubled!
• T. Osborn (1994) cited in Robert E. Owens. Queer
  Kids The Challenges and Promise for Lesbian,
  Gay, and Bisexual Youth. (New York Harrington
  Park Press, 1998), 58.

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Share Strategies

• What works in your school?
• What do you think could work?

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Strategies Adopted From Kidscape Accessed
December 2012

• pupils are told from Day One that bullying of any
  kind is not tolerated
• anonymous survey of the pupils to find out if
  bullying is a problem and then act upon it
• parents are informed that the school is committed
  to ensuring harmony amongst its pupils
• materials, books, lessons and activities which
  are used in the curriculum to help the pupils
  learn appropriate ways to behave

http//www.kidscape.org.uk/professionals/rascistbu
llying.shtml
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Strategies Adopted From Kidscape Accessed
December 2012

• units cover prejudice, direct/indirect
  discrimination, stereotypes, celebrating
  diversity
• guidelines state that all pupils are entitled to
  feel safe and secure
• teach values and respects people from all
  cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds
• all staff trained in equality issues, working
  with parents, supporting victims, changing
  negative behaviour and school procedures for
  resolving bullying

http//www.kidscape.org.uk/professionals/rascistbu
llying.shtml
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Strategies Adopted From Kidscape Accessed
December 2012

• work with staff and pupils together to create an
  anti-bullying policy that includes issues of
  racist bullying
• ensure that the policy is readily available to
  staff, parents and pupils. Ask pupils to sign the
  policy and keep it in their school file
• explain that no one is allowed to be a bystander.
  Anyone who knows about or witnesses bullying,
  must tell and get help

http//www.kidscape.org.uk/professionals/rascistbu
llying.shtml
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Strategies Adopted From Kidscape Accessed
December 2012

• act when told about bullying
• try to uncover the bullying as this protects the
  victims
• provide a private way for frightened victims to
  tell - individual meetings with all pupils on a
  regular basis so no one is seen to be singled out
  or a box where children can anonymously post
  suggestions, complaints and comments

http//www.kidscape.org.uk/professionals/rascistbu
llying.shtml
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Strategies Adopted From Kidscape Accessed
December 2012

• teach self esteem, friendship skills,
  assertiveness, handling conflict
• teach all pupils strategies, such as
• ignore the bullying, pretend not to hear
• walk away quickly use body language to look
  determined, strong and positive even if you feel
  frightened inside
• shout NO, GO AWAY as loudly as possible
• always tell a trusted adult if you are bullied

http//www.kidscape.org.uk/professionals/rascistbu
llying.shtml
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Strategies Adopted From Kidscape Accessed
December 2012

• set up procedures for resolving incidents
• ensure the safety and support of victims
• try first to mediate so that pupils are given a
  chance to resolve things peacefully
• understand some students do not appreciate the
  distress they are causing and are willing to
  change their behaviour

http//www.kidscape.org.uk/professionals/rascistbu
llying.shtml
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Strategies Adopted From Kidscape Accessed
December 2012

• help bullies to understand that their behaviour
  is completely unacceptable and that they must
  take responsibility for their actions, and make
  amends
• use sanctions, when needed
• record repeated and or serious incidents of
  bullying so that trends so pupils can be
  monitored and stopped

http//www.kidscape.org.uk/professionals/rascistbu
llying.shtml
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Strategies Adopted From Kidscape Accessed
December 2012

• inform parents/guardians about bullying incidents
  and what action is being taken - in serious
  cases, ask them to come to a meeting to discuss
  the problem
• call the social services or police, if necessary
  and appropriate
• make it clear that suspension or exclusion will
  be considered in serious cases

http//www.kidscape.org.uk/professionals/rascistbu
llying.shtml
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The End Thank You!
Dual Identities
Queer Christian