Spreading the word to increase awareness and prevent bullying, intimidation and harassment has been one of the UCHRC’s key initiatives since shortly after exploring the tragic implications for the community of the April 20, 1999 Columbine High School shootings. After a discussion at a regular meeting of whether bullying was a key motivation in the shootings, and the perceived acceptance of bullying as a “rite of passage,” the UCHRC Commissioners began to delve more deeply into the areas of bullying, intimidation and harassment. Our research indicated that bullying is really a “wrong of passage,” and carries with it serious short- and long-term consequences for the victims of bullying, witnesses to acts of bullying and the bullies themselves.
Please feel free to download our brochures to learn more, or to help someone you know become more aware of what bullying is, the harm it causes, and what we can do to intervene and prevent it from happening.
We are grateful to the Prosecutor’s Office for assisting with the printing of these brochures, and Commissioner Dr. Carmen Centuolo, Union County Superintendent of Schools, who coordinated their distribution to Union County school superintendents, principals and counselors. |
Bullying, Harassment & Intimidation:
Little Bullies Become Big Bullies”
ENGLISH - ESPAÑOL
provides almost everything an adult needs to know about bullying in a compact 8-page brochure, replete with heart-rendering artwork drawn by students worldwide who have been bullied. |
It is important to note that the Commission is sincerely appreciative of the active role that the Superintendent of Schools has taken on the UCHRC as a member of the Executive Board. The past three superintendents each have served as Commissioners, and the current Union County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Carmen Centuolo, currently serves as a Commissioner, as does Virginia East, Curriculum Development Specialist in her office. Both actively support all relevant initiatives in concert with the Union County Prosecutor’s Office. Commissioners Centuolo and East are key figures in this initiative countywide, and with reference to the UCHRC’s efforts.
Commissioners who have become well versed in this area have coordinated ongoing training for law enforcement officers and educators at the John H. Stamler Police Academy. One full-day class, “Anti-Bullying Legislation and the Role of Law Enforcement and Educators,” has been highly attended and well received since its inception in 2003, particularly due to the involvement of the specialists covering Juvenile law, Cyber-Bullying, and Bullying & Gangs -- namely, Assistant Prosecutor Deborah White with the Juvenile Unit; Sgt. Andre Banks with the High Tech Task Force and Commissioner Anne K. Frawley (who heads the Prosecutor’s High Tech Unit); and members of the Gang Task Force, most notably Sgt. Robert Segear (ret., Cranford Police Department) and Sgt. Thomas Rickey (Union County Police Department). The class was last offered in Fall 2005.
A second class, which continues to be offered, is a “Train the Trainers” class, providing participants with a copy of the dramatic, theatrical and interactive PowerPoint presentation, entitled “Bullying, Harassment & Intimidation for Parents & Students of All Ages,” developed by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office. Since the Union County Human Relations Commission’s initial Train the Trainers of almost 150 county educators in April 2003, several hundred law enforcement officers, educators, and representatives from community organizations have received the training.
In addition, Cyber-Bullying is an important component in the Internet Safety presentation, developed by Sgt. Andre Banks, which to-date has been presented to students, parents and educators throughout the county. A Cyber-Bullying and Internet Safety presentation was premiered for parents at the John H. Stamler Police Academy in Winter 2005 for the Scotch Plains/Fanwood Alliance, the Governor Livingston High School in Berkeley Heights, and New Providence High School. All were very well received, with the high-demand presentation being scheduled countywide in a wide variety of venues on an ongoing basis. The recent surge in the awareness of the online dangers posed by blogs, such as “xanga” and “myspace” also have increased the demand for the educational classes and presentations by schools and parent and community organizations for the anti-bullying and Cyber-Safety presentations. To help increase the number of potential presenters, a “CyberSafety Train the Trainer” workshop is being developed for 2006.
The Commission also supported the efforts hosted by the “Cranford Cares About Bullying” organization, in cooperation with the New Jersey Coalition for Bullying Awareness and Prevention. We supported its Sabbath Weekend for Bullying Awareness in February 2005 -- in spirit, in person, and by providing brochures for distribution to the participating houses of worship. Called “Bullying 101: From Awareness to Zealousness,” the program explored the various facets of bullying and also addressed creating a healthy environment in Sunday Schools and other children’s morning school classes. Nine houses of worship addressed bullying as a part of their sermon or key address to their congregations, as well as addressing it in classes and special activities for children, youth and adults.
In cooperation with the Union County Prosecutor’s Office and the Union County Superintendent of Schools, we co-sponsored a theatrical presentation of “New Kid” by the George Street Playhouse, held at the Orange Avenue School in Cranford on Sunday, February 17th, 2005. Approximately 450 parents and students attended, and the event received good pre- and post-event press coverage, including a front-page Suburban News article.
The Commission is pleased to take an active role in bringing bullying awareness to the forefront, although the fruits of our efforts may not been seen or felt for years to come as today’s younger students grow into young adults. Despite ongoing efforts to “spread the word” to citizens of all ages countywide -- work on the anti-bullying initiative is not done, but is rather ongoing. We will also continue our efforts with regard to bullying and the bully’s new “playground” -- online, in cyberspace, and using other mobile gadgetry.
We are proud to continue to involve ourselves as co-players with to partner with the Union County Prosecutor’s Office and Union County Superintendent of Schools in these important initiatives.
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