This school administrator offers recommendations for setting up courageous conversations in the new year, with discussions among colleagues as the first step.
Kudos to the U.S. Department of Education for making such a strong case in this week's Dear Colleague Letter that bullying is a matter of civil rights. The DOE rightly reframed the issue of bullying in schools as one of institutional responsibility—one that can get schools into serious legal trouble if ignored. Among other things, the letter says “some student misconduct that falls under a school’s anti-bullying policy also may trigger responsibilities under one or more of the federal antidiscrimination laws.”
Schools in Maryland and Connecticut are rethinking suspension policies. Promoting positive behavior has led to higher graduation rates, especially among students of color.
Grades: 9-12 Subjects: Reading and Language Arts, Social Studies, ELL/ESL Categories: Wealth and poverty; Gender, Race and ethnicity Speak Truth To Power is a project of the RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights. For
New evidence of the bullying crisis in our schools appears daily in news reports and blogs. For some students, verbal harassment, cyber-ostracism and physical abuse are as routine as turning in homework. That’s particularly true for students who are—or simply perceived to be—gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender (LGBT).