Create a Bully-Free World:
October is National Bullying Prevention Month

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. And with it, schools all around the country are sharing information with students and parents about how they can prevent bullying. In addition to the information campaign, the initiative also calls for educators and students to take action.

Research shows that when adults respond quickly and consistently to bullying behavior, they send the message that it’s not acceptable.

In the Hancock Place School District, staff and students have taken a proactive approach to bullying. The Bully Task Force (BTF) there began two years ago as a district-wide program.

One of the key members of the task force is SSD social worker Katie Humphrey.  

Humphrey said she was added to the BTF, along with a school resource officer, to be an unbiased member of the task force. “Each member of our team serves the entire district rather than being housed in only one building,” she said.

When a possible bullying incident occurs, it is reported to the BTF, Humphrey said. Once a referral has been submitted, the task force meets with the alleged bully, victim, witnesses, staff and teachers.

After the BTF finishes its investigation, information that was gathered is turned over to the district’s administrators to determine the consequences.

The goal is to stop bullying behavior over time by having an effective bullying prevention strategy in place and building a school environment that is safe, Humphrey said.

“At the end of the school year the BTF follows up with the family to make sure there have been no further incidents,” she said. “The parents have been very appreciative.”

• SSD's Family & Community Resource Center has numerous books and DVDs on bullying available.

• The PACER Center offers many resources about bullying and harassment of students with disabilities. Be sure to check out the Top 10 facts that parents, educators and students should know.

• StopBullying.gov provides information about bullying of children with disabilities and special needs and the law, as well as the effects of bullying, what parents can do if their child is bullied or harassed, and ideas on how to encourage and build peer support.

• Friendship Circle, an advocacy group for people with special needs, features this article about cyberbullying and children with special needs.

Published October 2018