Beaverton Schools Empower Students To Tackle Bullying Directly

BEAVERTON, OR — We hope you've noticed over the past year how we've focused on bullying and cyberbullying, a confounding national crisis that turns youths' lives upside down with unimaginable angst and dread, sometimes with deadly consequences. With each story, we've heard poignant stories from Patch readers in Oregon and others who were bullied and overcame it, but also many who continue to struggle with the damage done by bullies to their self-esteem.

Many common threads emerged in emails from our readers: Teachers and other educators have suggested everything from first-period decompression time to classroom contracts with students on how they're expected to treat one another. But for all the readers who said schools need to do more to foster an anti-bullying culture, just as many said parents should talk more with their kids about bullying and keep closer track on their social media habits.

And in a loud chorus, they said Americans need to stop wringing their hands and work at all levels to create a world safe from bullying.

That's one of the purposes of National Bullying Prevention Month, observed annually during October to bring attention to the problem and involve people in Oregon and nationwide in a conversation on how to create a world safe from bullying.

BEAVERTON SCHOOL DISTRICT

According to Beaverton School District spokeswoman Melissa Larson, the district begins working on bullying prevention and awareness in elementary school. And although the district does not have any specific endeavors underway for Bullying Prevention Month, it does encourage each individual school to "build culturally relevant learning communities and use restorative practices to build community, empathy and spaces for students and teachers to communicate in a way that builds relationships."

"One of those practices is the community circle," Larson explained. "Community circles support the two main goals of restorative practices: building community; and responding to harms through dialogue that sets things right. Circles cultivate a culture in which everyone feels like they belong. They build a particular sense of community in which every member — students and teachers — feel that they are seen, heard, and respected."

Older students in middle/high school are regularly provided with lessons on how to most effectively respond to bullying, Larson said. From counselors to small peer groups, such as Unity groups, Gay-Straight Alliances, and Leadership classes, the district reportedly welcomes school-code activities that promote equity, kindness, and inclusivity.

"In Beaverton, we recognize the value and worth of each and every one of our students," Superintendent Don Grotting told Patch in an email. "We are committed to ensuring all students have every opportunity to reach their full potential. Our staff work hard to support our wonderfully diverse students and families. Every day, Beaverton staff teach our students to appreciate differences, how to listen, disagree and resolve conflict respectfully."

This past school year, Larson said, the Beaverton Student Advisory Board even went so far as to create a Humans of New York-style Instagram account for Beaverton students, aptly titled Humans of BSD, "to provide glimpses into the lives of high school students who may not necessarily feel like they fit in."

Additionally, several Beaverton schools joined the national "dude. be nice." campaign, which seeks to promote a conscientious youth culture by inspiring kindness and gratitude among students through a variety of events, activities, videos, and literature.

"Building caring relationships is fundamental to actualizing our District goal of empowering ALL students to achieve post-high school success," Grotting said. "We are committed to providing all of our students and families with safe, caring and inclusive learning environments, free from bullying, intimidation, and harassment."

A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE

Once viewed as a childhood "rite of passage" that toughened kids to handle the pressures of adulthood, bullying and its more insidious digital twin, cyberbullying, is seen by many experts as a major public health issue — on par with heart disease, cancer and diabetes — with devastating and often long-term effects like the loss of self-esteem, heightened anxiety and depression.

We want to hear from you. Do you have a story to tell about bullying or cyberbullying, a suggestion about how to stem it or an event to publicize? Comment at the end of the story, or email Travis.Loose@Patch.com and copy bullies@patch.com. You can post Bullying Prevention Month and many other events right on Patch's calendar here.

Statistics vary, but an aggregate of 80 different studies on bullying suggests one in five American students between 12 and 18 is bullied at some point during their middle or high school years. Traditional bullying — name calling, public humiliation, isolation, physical violence and that sort of thing — occurs most often, with 35 percent of kids reporting they've been targeted in one of those ways. The studies cited by the PACER Center, which established National Bullying Prevention Month, show that 15 percent of kids surveyed report being cyberbullied.

And though it occurs less often, cyberbullying — which has resulted in a disturbing string of suicides by adolescents and teenagers — is especially hard to stop. While experts say most cyberbullied kids don't kill themselves, the long-tailed internet makes a taunt live longer than one flung on the schoolyard. Kids can escape traditional bullying in the safety of their homes, but because social media is so intertwined with how kids communicate, they never really escape it.

READ: Bullied To Death: When Kids Kill With Words

And because cyberbullies have the stealth of anonymity, "empathy tends to fade to zero," NoBully.org founder Nicholas Carlisle told Patch.

He was knocked around 40 or so years ago as an awkward 12-year-old. The torment persisted through high school, but as tough as it was, his experience was markedly different from the torture kids endure today, he says — and it's not just that he was attacked in a physical as opposed to online space.

"Online, you can't see the whites of their eyes," Carlisle said. "If you can see someone, that's often a break upon people's aggression — not always, but it does seem to have some break upon crossing the line."

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The full consequences of bullying on the brain aren't fully understood, but kids who are targeted by bullies in childhood and adolescence are at increased risk for psychological problems that can stretch into adulthood, according to experts. In the moment, bullied kids may be unable to sleep or suffer a range of stomach issues and headaches. Later on, they're at risk for depression, anxiety, and alcohol and drug use.

OCT. 24 UNITY DAY

Among the marquee National Bullying Prevention Month activities is Unity Day, observed on Wednesday, Oct. 24, when everyone is encouraged to wear and show orange to send a message that no child should ever experience bullying.

"Orange provides a powerful, visually compelling expression of solidarity," Paula Goldberg, the executive director of the PACER Center, said in a statement. "Whether it's hundreds of individuals at a school wearing orange, store owners offering orange products or a community changing a landmark to orange, the vibrant statement becomes a conversation starter, sending the supportive, universal message that bullying is never acceptable behavior."

Here's more about Unity Day:

THE BULLY MENACE: WHAT'S AHEAD

During October and beyond, several experts have agreed to answer readers' questions about bullying, ranging from how to keep their kids from becoming targets to what to do if their kids are the bullies. We'll also delve into some of the issues surrounding bullying —

Take a look back at some of the stories in our series:

• America's Shameful Truth About School Shooters And Bullying
• They All Failed Changed Child: Malden Bullying Detailed
• Bullies, Their Targets The Same In A Surprising Number Of Cases
• 'Everyday, I Wear Your Words,' Teen Tells Bullies In Video
• Teen's 'I Wear Your Words' Video Inspires Nashville Songwriters
• Bullying Of Mallory Grossman, 12, Spelled Out In Wrongful Death Lawsuit
• Poetry Teacher Helps Bullied Kids Open Their Tortured Minds
• Why These Kindergartners Start Each Day With A Simple Handshake

If you have a question or want to share your story, please email bullies@patch.com.

Written by Beth Dalbey, Patch National Staff, with additional reporting by Oregon Editor Travis Loose.

Photo via Shutterstock