Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/89488
COMMUNIQUÉ A PUBLICATION OF THE IOWA STATE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION – OCT/NOV 2012 – Vol. 50, No. 2 "Children can't learn in a climate of fear. One caring adult, who takes the time to listen, who steps in when he or she sees bullying, can make a world of difference to a bullied child. Our students are counting on us. " NEA President Dennis Van Roekel Any student can be bullied, but some students are at higher risk than others, particularly those who seem "different" from the majority of the school population. Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender (GLBT) students; students with disabilities; immigrants; and high-achieving ethnic minorities are often targets. Nationally, one out of three students is bullied monthly, with homophobia as one of the most common causes. In fact, roughly nine out of 10 GLBT students experience harassment at school. The ISEA Academy and Iowa Safe Schools are offering a class throughout the state called Making Your Classroom Safe for LGBTQ Youth (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning). For more information, to hold a class in your area, and/or to register, go to isea.org. Nationwide, bullied students are more likely to fall behind in their studies, get sick and/or depressed, miss school, drop out, and even commit suicide. What's more, studies have found that a school bullying climate may be linked with a school's overall test scores. Bullying behaviors begin in elementary school and escalate in subtle and overt ways by middle and high school. The transition periods in a student's life—from elementary to middle school, and from middle to high school—are among the most vulnerable periods of a student's life. While recognizing the need for a coordinated effort to address bullying in America's public schools, research shows one caring adult can make all the difference to a bullied student if that adult listens to the student, asks the right questions, then takes decisive action. Prevent bullying by developing healthy social relationships and helping students feel connected to their school. Excerpts from this story were taken from: Bullying Prevention in Public Schools, http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/Bullying-PreventioninPublicSchools- PolicyBrief.pd October « 2012 « Quality Planners, http://www.qualityplanners.com/wordpress/?m=201210 cont.' on page 11 Set it... AVAILABLE NOW! E-DUES and forget it! See page 10 The bottom line on bullying: students can't learn when they fear for their safety What is bullying? Bullying is systematically and chronically inflicting physical hurt and/or psychological distress on one or more students. Bullying is not just child's play, but a terrifying experience many American schoolchildren face every day. It can be as direct as teasing, hitting or threatening; or as indirect as in rumors, exclusion, or manipulation. Bullying can no longer be explained away—as some adults are inclined to do—as a normal part of growing up. Bullying in children can develop into sexual harassment in older students. Sexual harassment at school is unwanted and unwelcomed behavior of a sexual nature that interferes with a student's right to receive an equal educational opportunity. Cyber bullying is the term applied to bullying over the Internet, via email, text messaging, and similar technological modes of communication. Cyber bullying includes sending or posting harmful material or engaging in other forms of social aggression. This form of bullying is more intense as it can occur around the clock, and the text or images can be widely disseminated, well beyond the school grounds. NEA - Prevention & Intervention Training, http://www.nea.org/ home/47681.htm. 5 IN THIS ISSUE TEACHING & LEARNING ISEA member named Iowa's 2013 Teacher of the Year 9 STATE Nominees sought for NEA State Delegate Positions 11 LEGAL Change to the requirement for reporting school employee conduct to the BOEE.