The Education Wonks are skeptical about the theory that mere words can stop bullies:
Irving Middle School [Idaho] administrators brought in motivational speaker Terry Brewer Tuesday to teach students how to use humor to deflate bullies, but the district's counselors stress that the assembly is just one example of how District 25 tackles bullying every day.“(Bullying) is one of our top three priority issues we work on all the time. It is not a novel topic. Keeping school culture safe is an absolute priority because people don't learn well in conditions that are hostile or intimidating. And the other issue, it is a matter of human dignity,” said Jefferson Elementary School counselor Jan McCormick...
McCormick said teachers and school counselors weave anti-bullying strategies, such as conflict management, multicultural and diversity training, into the curriculum every day, beginning in kindergarten and ending at high school graduation...She said this systematic approach has changed the schools' culture for the better, and decreased the number of bullies substantially.
I think the Wonks are too skeptical (although I'd like to see some hard data to back up McCormick's claims that her school is actually safer now). I think words can defeat bullies, if enough kids are willing to stand up and speak out. As with all violent behavior, though, there has to be a non-pacifist - in this case, the teacher or principal - who is willing to step in and mete out some serious punishment when an empathetic mediator gets flattened by a bully with a low EQ. Without that backup, I wouldn't want any kid of mine to be "mediating" schoolyard disputes.
Posted by kswygert at October 20, 2005 04:12 PM