Award-Winning Author Attempts to Warn About Bullying Within Schools

Jodee Blanco, in a fit-for-television performance about her teenage years, engrossed her audience with the ugly truth that lurks behind the walls of schools: kids bully kids. Blanco offered the parents in the audience advice on how to deal with both the kids who bully and those who are bullied. Despite her odd quirks and somewhat eccentric advice, Jodee's purpose for speaking out deserves our full attention. Bullying in schools is certainly a problem that needs to be addressed, and teachers and administrators must know how to do so appropriately. If a student has been noticeably picking on others, teachers should not ignore his or her actions. Teachers should make sure the student knows that his/her actions are having a negative impact on others and should punish that student. Advice should be given, but the advice should be realistic. For example, bringing home a dog that is scheduled to be euthanized may seem like a "cure" for a mean child, but in reality, there are no guaranteed results for this approach. Speak with the student's parents and suggest "good deeds" or character-building activities that the student can do. Maybe even bring up the idea of seeing a family psychiatrist. For the child experiencing the bullying, similar ideas can be brought up to the parents. No results are guaranteed for any of these approaches, but it is vital that teachers and administrators do not ignore the signs of bullying. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byEFkqHqABM