By Meghan McDermott
Chances are bullying is happening at your child's school. If they're in middle school, the chance is even greater. So we sat down with two East Texas school districts to discuss what they're doing to prevent bullying.
Thirty percent of 6th through 10th graders are bullied. At Lindale ISD's E.J. Moss Intermediate school you'll find seasoned counselor, Cherri Straus. She says adult supervision is key.
"Normally bullying takes place in areas where there's a lot of kids and they think they can get away with it," said Straus.
So the LISD is teaching its students to be rare or "Responsibility, Attitude, Respect and Effort." It's respect of self and of others that Straus says makes a huge difference.
"They are not going to take place in bullying and normally they might not be the target of a bully because that bully is gonna know that they're gonna stand up for themselves," said Straus.
But teachers can't catch everything, that's when parents step in. Straus says to watch for any of the following signs at home:
1. Withdrawn
2. Wanting to stay home from school
3. A sudden drop in grades
4. Change in attitude or anxiety
"Some of those things are signs that something is going on. And it's something you need to start asking questions about," said Straus.
If a parent thinks their child is being picked on, Straus says to speak up.
"If they know who it is and what it is that they're doing, call the school and let one of the school personnel know," said Straus.
In the Tyler ISD they're combating bullying with "Rachel's Challenge."
"We talk to the children, the students, about rachel's life and some of her beliefs," said Marie Nelson, the Tyler ISD's Facilitator of Emergency Management and Safe and Drug Free Schools.
Rachel's Challenge is based on a young girl named Rachel, who devoted her life to spreading kindness.
"She had five specific beliefs that she set out there for everybody. One of them was to look for the best in others and to eliminate prejudice of all kind," said Nelson.
2. Dare to dream-- set goals and keep a journal.
3. Choose positive influences
4. Small acts of kindness reap huge results.
"And she challenged everybody to start a chain reaction of kindness," said Nelson.
Rachel's Challenge first came to the TISD last year and began in middle schools. This year, it's being implemented in all elementary schools.
"When they notice somebody doing an act of kindness, whether it's a teacher, custodian, cafeteria worker or another student-- that they can write something on a chain link," said Nelson.
A sign of the positive change taking place in classrooms.
"Pretty much an overall climate change in the school, for the positive. For the good," said Nelson.
The take home message for parents: if you suspect your child is being bullied, don't handle it alone. Call your child's school and get their help.
