Not all heroes have to be aliens with a list of super powers. Some tackle everyday problems such as the reality of bullying. The Adventures of Rubberkid is a free Adobe Flash game looking to raise awareness about how terrible bullying can be. Rubberkid is a regular kid who was tired of being bullied. To stand up to the bullies, Rubberkid created a suit of rubber bands to bounce the insults they hurl right back at them.

The goal of the game is to show the player the consequences of bullying. The levels can be selected in any order and each focuses on helping a particular child (or children). Once the player helps those in need, they are shown the effects bullying can have.  The results show what would have happened to the child had the bullies continued, but they also give the player hope by showing what each accomplishes in their life since you stood up for them.

The game is great tool for children and adults of all ages and has the following features:

• Nine levels of gameplay, featuring three different game types.
• Players can print out a certificate pledge as reminder to not bully others, but to also speak up when others are bullied. The certificate will even have the player’s name on it.
• Those interested can pay what they want for Rubberkid, including nothing at all. This allows schools and libraries easy access to this fun and educational program.
• Story segments for each character allow the player to see the effects of bullying first-hand. Seeing what each character accomplishes will encourage the player to speak up when they or someone else is being bullied.
• Vivid, colorful graphics and characters from The Critterverse.

In order to extend the reach of the game as far as possible, The Adventures of Rubberkid current has an active Kickstarter campaign.  With the funding, the game will be translated into Spanish and French, feature cyber bullying content, be supplemented with additional materials such as a children’s book or a comic book and more. The Adventures of Rubberkid Kickstarter can be found here.

Help support this educational game and earn some perks as well.

The game is currently a work in progress, but anyone is able to access an incomplete build to sample the game. The Adventures of Rubberkid demo can be accessed at here.

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It is no secret that we live in an age where it gets easier and easier to share our opinions with the world. It’s not just a matter of using Twitter to tell the world what you had for breakfast, or uploading duckface pictures of yourself to Facebook. Now, thanks to sites like Amazon and Goodreads, anyone can be a literary critic from the privacy of his or her bedroom.

Naturally, not everyone is thrilled by the brave new literary world we inhabit. The chairman of the Man Booker Prize judging panel, Sir Peter Stothard, recently made headlines when he launched an outspoken attack on amateur reviewers, claiming that readers would be better off listening to professional critics.

Sir Peter, who is also the editor of The Times Literary Supplement, was quoted in Britain’s Daily Telegraph saying that “[t]here is a general trend- and it’s certainly very prevalent online- for replacing argued literary criticism that allows you to compare books, to put them in context, to analyse how they work. That kind of traditional criticism is very easily replaced by unargued opinion.”

“Storytelling is fine but it doesn’t require Man Booker judges to decide what people are going to enjoy taking on holiday and reading on the beach,” he continued. “Books that are not immediately easy to read- the books that in the end will last, that reward you most- do increasingly require the Man Booker Prize judges to identify them so that people will find the pleasure and reward of reading them.”

It is not just established literary critics who have expressed concerns about the new frontier of social media-driven criticism. Some authors have sought to highlight the negative aspects of online reviews, claiming that they are being subject to campaigns of cyberbullying by disgruntled fans. Earlier this summer, there was a kerfuffle in the literary world over a website called StopTheGoodreadsBullies.com.

Writing in a guest post over at the Huffington Post’s blog, the people behind the site claimed that they were trying to fight back against people who used Goodreads to “destroy [an] author’s reputation and career for either their own personal amusement or for vengeance.”

“We want the toxic, bullying atmosphere at [Goodreads] to stop. And we want these people to be held accountable by public opinion,” they continued.

StopTheGoodreadsBullies itself has proved to be controversial. Because it often attempts to unmask individuals who are accused of engaging in bullying behavior, some critics have accused it of waging its own bullying campaign. As author Foz Meadows pointed out on her blog, “any public figure, regardless of whether they’re an author, actor, sportsperson or journalist, must resign themselves to a certain amount of public criticism. Not everyone will like you, your work or even necessarily your profession, and nor will they be under any obligation to protect your sensibilities by being coy about it.”

“Simply disliking a book, no matter how publicly or how snarkily, is not the same as bullying. To say that getting a handful of mean reviews is even in the same ballpark as dealing with an ongoing campaign of personal abuse is insulting to everyone involved,” Meadows continued.

But over at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, SB Sarah summed it up best when she pointed out that negative reviews are just part and parcel of being an author.

“We may have the most meanest critique partner in the world, but she is nothing to the reader who paid $9 for a book and was disappointed,” she said.

“This is what happens when readers read books: we get irate sometimes and giddy other times. Now we interact more about the giddy and the irate, and that interaction, positive or negative, is valuable. More importantly, it’s normal.”

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In Dragonspeak, Andrew Robinson creates a world where, instead of learning to ride a bike, you learn to walk and even sail on water. Young Drew crawls through a tunnel one day to get away from a couple of bullies to find himself in a world that seems strangely perfect, at first. All the rules that he had to follow at home do not apply in this other world and there are no fighting parents to deal with either. In the place of Drew’s parents are Miss Jane, who brings the young boy both trouble and happiness in this new world, and a servant made from clay.

Just as Drew is starting to get used to this new world, Miss Jane asks him to travel to another world to speak to dragons. On his way, Drew encounters talking mice, a quirky captain, talking elevator vines, people who live vertically on the side of a mountain, and many more intriguing characters. He soon realizes through his travels that everyone seems to be connected in some way and that the easy going world that Miss Jane has presented him when he first arrived is not all it seems to be.

Readers who have read Robinson’s My Island, My Memories will recognize many of the references he makes to his childhood. There are so many similarities that readers may see the main character as a version of the author himself when he was a child going on a fictitious journey.

The only issue with the parallel between the two books is that some sections seem almost word for word the same, but those who have not read both will find Dragonspeak an adventure to savor. Although, the chapter that describes the close knit community of cottages that Robinson grew up around in My Island, My Memories would allow readers to have a clearer understanding of the portions in Dragonspeak that draw on those memories.

Throughout Dragonspeak, Robinson also includes foreshadowing in many scenes, whether a play on names or a slip up in a character’s speech, to help readers from succumbing to the innocent view Drew has of the new world he finds himself in. Eventually, Drew learns to question the things that seem to be too good. Remembering his parents back home helps him through the troubles he faces.

He starts to miss them despite the overwhelming feeling Drew has held onto that his parents are not worried over his disappearance because they are too busy fighting. This ache, along with new discoveries from his otherworldly friends, is what brings him to make a decision that could change his life, both in this strange world and the one back home.

Overall, Robinson’s Dragonspeak is an enjoyable read with glorious discoveries of another world created by children going through hardship. Every child may feel at some point in their lives that they need to get away from their world and thus create another. But, like Drew, they soon must choose between what they have created and what they have left behind.

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New York, U.S.A. -Bullying has become a hot topic in the U.S., hitting a cultural nerve as evidenced by the buzz surrounding the recent release of a documentary called “Bully” as well as a book entitled The Bully Society: School Shootings and the Crisis of Bullying in America’s Schools (NYU Press)”.

Bullying is a major cause of stress and can leave anyone feeling hurt, angry, frightened, and even depressed. By learning about why some people bully and why others are bullied, you can help yourself or a loved one cope with bullying, and develop the resilience and self-confidence to overcome such trauma and have high esteem and channel your life to be in a harmonious place.

What drives a person to torment someone else? To make another’s life intolerable, until the bullied, dreading the thought of one more vicious attack can only wonder: When will it end?  Will it ever end?  And how will I survive?

Bullying and stress in the workplace

Chances are if you work with others, you’ll be bullied at some point in your career. In the U.S., where the practice is being studied, an estimated 37% of workers, or about 54 million people, have been bullied at the office, or repeatedly mistreated in a health-harming way, according to a 2007 Zogby International survey. The percentage balloons to 49% of workers, 71.5 million people, when witnesses are included.

While hard to quantify, workplace bullying is clearly costly for employees as well as employers.

About 45% of individuals targeted by bullies at work suffer stress-related health problems, according to the Zogby survey. That could include cardiovascular problems, an impaired immune system, debilitating anxiety and even post-traumatic stress disorder, says Gary Namie director of the Workplace Bullying Institute and president of Work Doctor, a consulting firm that specializes in correcting and preventing workplace bullying.

Most of our stress doesn’t come from the work itself, but instead the people with whom we are involved. Create an awareness of how other people are making you feel, and if they aren’t treating you right then stand up for yourself or seek help.

Bullying and cyber-bullying in schools

Research shows that about 25% of kids in the United States experience bullying while even more of us are impacted by cyber-bullying. So what is bullying? Bullying is considered a repeated and intentional act of aggression where one or more people plan to harm or upset another person physically, verbally, or psychologically. While there are many reasons why bullies may be targeting you, the main reasons are usually your physical appearance or social standing within your peer group.

Bullying is repeated aggressive behavior that can be physical, verbal, or relational. Boys frequently bully using physical threats and actions, while girls are more likely to engage in verbal or relationship bullying. The results are similar in that victims of bullying are made to feel hurt, angry, afraid, helpless, hopeless, isolated, ashamed, and even guilty that the bullying is somehow their fault.

Victims’ physical health is likely to suffer, and they are at a greater risk of developing mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, adult onset PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and even death.  A recent study suggests found that up to 44% of suicides among 10- to 14-year-olds may be bullying-related. [2]

The most destructive aspect of bullying lies in its repetition. Bullies are often relentless, bullying over and over again for unforgiving amounts of time. Victims of bullying often live in constant fear of where and when the bully will strike next and to what extent they will attack.  This repetition has never been more visible what with our living in the era of technology and social media; cyber-bullying has made bullying even worse!

Bullying is often a learned behavior and many bullies can learn aggressive behavior at home. Research suggests that some kids and teens may become more aggressive by the amount of violent content the children are exposed to via TV, movies, or video games.  Also, parents often can set a bad example for their kids through their own bullying behavior toward one another; their own children are even complete strangers.

Parents dealing with a bullying child should first educate their child about bullying. Your child may have difficulty reading social signs or may not understand how hurtful their behavior can be. Foster empathy by encouraging your child to look at their actions from the victim’s perspective. Remind your child that bullying can have legal consequences.  Remember you are a model for your children. Kids learn from adults’ aggressive or mean-spirited behavior.

Paul Huljich, author of the forthcoming publication “Stress Pandemic” feels that stress plays a key factor in what can cause bullying.  “By managing stress, we can begin to tackle the heart of what often can lead to children bullying each other.”  Huljich states, “Teach your child positive ways to manage stress.

Your child’s bullying may be an attempt at relieving stress, or your own stress, anxiety, or worry may be creating an unstable home environment. Exercise, Diet and Stress Reduction techniques are just a few of the ways for both kids and adults alike to let off steam and relieve stress.”

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The Sioux City Journal newspaper made headlines of its own after it published a full, front page editorial in its April 22, 2012 Sunday edition decrying bullying. The editorial was published in response to the suicide of a victim of bullying. The 14 year-old high school student Kenneth Weishuhn—a fun kid by all accounts—was bullied not long after coming out to his friends as gay.

The Journal’s editorial staff was quick to point out that it feels that all of society plays a role in bullying. From teachers and other school staff, parents and other adults, the Journal staff suggested that many people and organizations take a passive role in stopping bullying. According to the editorial, the time has come for all adults to advocate for the victims of bullying.

Although anti-bulling statutes were adopted in Iowa in 2007, according to the article, “Iowa school districts, on average, reported less than 2 percent of their students had been bullied in any given year since the state passed its anti-bullying law in 2007.”

The editorial staff emphasized that schools are not the only places that bullying occurs and that eliminating bullying is not the sole responsibility of the school system to enforce anti-bullying standards. The piece calls on adults to take a more active role in ensuring that bullying will not be tolerated. The editorial suggests that parents monitor their children’s use of cell phones and the internet, watch the documentary “Bully,” and recognize the deeper meaning of the words they are using, and the words that are being spoken by those around them.

In keeping with the desire to be a strong advocate, the Journal staff said, “This is not a failure of one group of kids, one school, one town, one county or one geographic area. Rather, it exposes a fundamental flaw in our society, one that has deep-seated roots.”

Bullying is not only a problem in Iowa, but a problem faced by young people all across America. A 2008 study by researchers at Yale University suggests that the link between bullying and suicide is very strong. According to the study, victims of bullying are 2-9 times more likely to consider suicide.

According to the bully watchdog organization www.bullypolice.org, most American states have adopted anti-bullying statutes in response to episodes of suicide as a result of bullying. Punishments for violating anti-bullying statutes in various American states range in severity from counseling the bully and the victim to criminal prosecution.

Although not unprecedented, the use of the entire front page of the Sunday edition of the newspaper indicated the strong feelings that members of the Sioux City Journal staff have as community advocates. Coverage of this publication has made national headlines indicating that much of the American population is taking bullying very seriously. Subsequent reports indicate an overwhelmingly positive response to the front-page editorial not only by Sioux City residents, but also by readers all across America.

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On April 9, The Weinstein Company (TWC) announced that Justin Bieber continues to lend his support to the fight against bullying with use of his song “Born To Be Somebody” in BULLY’s newest TV spot.

The spot premiered on Fandango Monday, April 9, just days before the film is released wide with a PG-13 rating in cities all over the country, and will begin airing on TV as well: http://bit.ly/IbqeJE

“My fans are always up for supporting a great cause. It’s one of the things I’m most proud of as an entertainer,” said Bieber. “I hope they see BULLY with their friends and help start the conversation so we can end bullying.”

“We’re honored that Justin has decided to support this film and the movement that surrounds it,” said TWC President of Marketing Stephen Bruno.

Bieber joins a long list of celebrities who have graciously supported the film’s mission and was one of the dozens of stars who helped #BullyMovie trend on Twitter recently raising further awareness as the film approached its release in theaters.

Other celebrities have stepped out in their own ways to help get the word out including: Ellen DeGeneres featuring the families from the film on her show; Meryl Streep and attorneys David Boies and Ted Olson hosting an NYC screening; Victoria Justice, Giuliana Rancic and Joel McHale hosting the LA premiere; Anderson Cooper and Kelly Ripa hosting an NYC screening;Anderson Cooper hosting a town hall special on CNN to discuss bullying with Dr. Phil, Kelly Ripa and BULLY director Lee Hirsch; Tommy Hilfiger designing t-shirts; and many other supporters shooting PSAs.

Companies including Bing and Twitter have partnered to help in the quest to reach as many parents, teachers and children as possible. And, in a move that inspired and rallied hundreds of thousands of supporters, Michigan high school student Katy Butler garnered more than half a million signatures on her petition to the MPAA on Change.org to lower BULLY’s R rating, which subsequently happened last week.

Efforts to pass the Safe Schools Improvement Act are also in the works after TWC Co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein’s recent meeting with Senator Bob Casey. This bill will amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to address and take action to prevent bullying and harassment of students.

BULLY leads all non-fiction films so far for 2012 with its strong opening weekend attendance.

Image Courtesy of  Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

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On February 29 at Harvard University, Lady Gaga and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, officially unveiled Born This Way Foundation (BTWF), a new non-profit charitable organization, before a crowd of policy makers, non-profit organizations, foundation leaders, students and youth at the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Ask with Forum.

The day opened with Oprah interviewing Lady Gaga about her commitment to empowering youth before a packed audience at Sanders Theatre. Lady Gaga then took the stand in a mock trial to testify before a panel of expert “judges” about what she hopes to accomplish with BTWF. Panelists included Deepak Chopra, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, sister of Jamey Rodemeyer Alyssa Rodemeyer, Harvard Law Professor Charles Ogletree, Psychologist Susan M. Swearer and E! News correspondent and LGBT parent and spouse David Burtka.

“The culture of love is not going to change overnight but youth are the answer to creating a braver, kinder world,” said Lady Gaga. “This might be one of the best days of my life.” BTWF will address issues like self-confidence, well-being, anti-bullying, mentoring and career development through research, education and advocacy.

BTWF will create an environment that allows youth to safely express their individuality and one that provides them with the skills needed to encourage self-expression and promote civic engagement, and the resources and opportunities needed to implement solutions whether it be “online, on-the-road, or down the street.” With a focus on digital mobilization to create positive change, BTWF will lead youth into a braver new society where each individual is accepted and loved as the person they were born to be.

The Born This Way Foundation also announced today that Lady Gaga has made a $1.2 million personal contribution to BTWF, dedicating $200,000 to cover the foundation’s overhead costs. Barneys New York has raised more than $750,000 for the foundation through product sales from Gaga’s 2011 Holiday Workshop, and has donated an additional $100,000.

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is also committing $1 million in support, with $500,000 going to the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard to lead research efforts, and the remaining $500,000 directly allocated to BTWF to support online and on-the-road efforts to engage young people in civic life and deter bullying.

“Like everything my daughter has done, this is a grassroots initiative asking for the response of the community to help build this movement and shape it,” said Cynthia Germanotta. “Therefore a safe and trusted online community will allow users to share stories about themselves and their lives. Supporters can draw courage from the words of others as they explore Born This Way Foundation’s online community.”

The John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The California Endowment and Harvard’s Berkman Center for Internet & Society are partnering with BTWF to explore the best ways to reach youth and create a new culture of kindness, bravery, acceptance and empowerment.

“MacArthur’s partnership with the Born This Way Foundation will apply what we have learned about the power and potential of digital media to reach and engage millions of young people,” said Connie Yowell, MacArthur’s Director of Education. “In classrooms and communities, online and even on-the-road, this effort will enable teachers, parents, students, and communities each do their part to promote positive civic and online participation.”

To engage youth on-the-road, the Born Brave Bus, with design assistance provided by the innovative youth from YOUmedia’s teen library space, will travel the country to serve as a place where kids can go to feel connected and learn about civic engagement opportunities. The bus, along with onsite mentors, will also accompany Lady Gaga’s next North American concert tour, providing additional resources and a safe space to convene.

“A thorough review of decades of academic research has inspired this strategy and over the next several months, we will be rolling out programs based on that data,” said Dr. David Washington, Sr. Advisor to Lady Gaga & BTWF for Philanthropy & Policy. “BTWF has brought together renowned researchers, practitioners and youth organizations and is committed to leveraging this brain trust in order to make a significant difference.”

Visit www.bornthiswayfoundation.org and join the youth-powered movement to build a braver, kinder world.

Image Courtesy of  http://www.flickr.com/photos/10363713@N08/

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The Love is Louder movement, a project of The Jed Foundation and MTV created with actress Brittany Snow, launched a new site this week at www.loveislouder.com which features a #loveislouder blog, videos, artwork, and songs created by people around the world who have joined the movement.

Additionally, the campaign announced 2012 plans to help communities and campuses support the emotional health of teenagers and college-age students, as well as address issues like bullying, negative self-image, discrimination, isolation and depression.

“Through Love is Louder, The Jed Foundation is harnessing technology, the media and grassroots efforts to expand the current dialogue on bullying to include not only the negative voices and pressures that cause pain, but the feelings themselves and how to deal with those emotions,” says John MacPhee, Executive Director of The Jed Foundation.

The Love is Louder movement works online, through the media and in communities to strengthen emotional health by building resiliency, creating connectedness, promoting acceptance and empowering others to support their peers.  Hundreds of thousands of people have joined the movement online since its launch in 2010 and the new www.loveislouder.com expands that online presence to include:

• A #loveislouder blog that explores common emotional issues like feeling mistreated, misunderstood or alone, and provides positive perspectives, coping strategies and resources for learning more and getting help if needed.
• Galleries of the thousands of photos, videos, pieces of artwork and songs that have been created by people around the world for the movement.
• New video features including a public service announcement starring Brittany Snow, Anna Kendrick, Anna Camp and others, and submissions from the Your Love is Louder Video Festival held in conjunction with the site launch.
• Information and tools that help campuses and communities plan events and start discussions that can increase connectedness, build coping skills, empower peers to support each other and encourage people to get help if needed.
• Connections to resources for learning more about and getting help for emotional health issues like depression, eating disorders and self-injury.

Other plans for 2012 announced include outreach to help educators and the media better understand and talk about the connection between bullying and emotional distress, research around tools to build connectedness and encourage help-seeking in community and campus settings, speaking events with Brittany Snow and other spokespersons, and the development and testing of technology to enhance resiliency and coping skills.

The Jed Foundation (www.loveislouder.com) is a national nonprofit organization working to reduce the prevalence of emotional distress and the rate of suicide among college and university students.

Over the last 10 years, the organization has launched innovative programs for students, campuses and parents, including the Peabody Award-winning Half of Us campaign with mtvU (www.halfofus.com) that uses the stories of students and high-profile artists to decrease stigma around mental health issues and increase help-seeking behaviors;

ULifeline (www.ulifeline.org), a comprehensive online resource center on emotional health with an anonymous screening tool and campus-specific information for getting help; and a model and portfolio of tools that help colleges and universities create healthier and safer campus communities.

Image Courtesy of   https://www.facebook.com/joinloveislouder

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Nancy Silberkleit, the seasoned anti-bullying and literacy advocate, is proud to announce the Strides To Stop Bullying Essay Event, a new anti-bullying initiative for 2012. This inspirational event, open to students across the country, encourages youth to share their true stories and insight to raise awareness and stop the harm that bullying can do.

Led by a panel including Former New York Governor David Paterson, Stan Davis of stopbullyingnow.com and Nancy Silberkleit, the contest will raise funds for the International Bullying Prevention Association. Selected youth will also have their story serve as the inspiration for a forthcoming educational, not-for-profit comic book written by Nancy Silberkleit. Selected essays may also be published anonymously in other ways.

Nancy Silberkleit, co-CEO of Archie Comics, is using her educational training and experience to inspire self-confidence and strength in children of all ages. The Strides To Stop Bullying Essay Event was conceived by Silberkleit as a way to create an inspired community while also furthering her philanthropic reach.

She is currently working on a series of educational comic book focusing on children’s issues such as bullying. She aims to share her words of strength and inspiration with today’s youth. She advises, “Never let anyone define who you are. You know who you are.”

The Strides To Stop Bullying Essay Event, open to all students across the country ages 8-18, will be open for submissions February 1st- May 1st. To enter, children must write a 250-word true essay on the topic of bullying. They may send their own true story about what made things better when they were bullied, or how they supported someone else who was bullied.

These essays will be used as the inspiration for one of Nancy Silberkleit’s upcoming educational comics. For the first 200 essays sent in, Nancy Silberkleit will donate $5 per essay to the International Bullying Prevention Association.

“Creating a school environment free of harassment and discrimination has been a long term goal of mine,” says Governor Paterson. “I’m proud to further align myself with causes such as this contest that encourage our youth to speak out and unite against bullying.”

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The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention released Bullying in Schools: An Overview, the first of five bulletins examining bullying in schools and support schools can provide bullying victims.  Bullying is a complex social and emotional problem impacting children and schools.  In extreme cases, victims face shooting, physical assaults, or other harassment that may cause them to turn to suicide.

“Parents and schools across the country worry about the devastating harm bullying can cause, and we share this concern for our nation’s children,” said Jeff Slowikowski, OJJDP’s Acting Administrator.  “This new study highlights the impact of bullying and recommends effective anti-bullying strategies that schools can implement to keep students safe.”

Conducted by the National Center for School Engagement in 2007, the OJJDP-funded study focused on the connection between bullying, truancy, and low academic achievement and examined whether engaging students in academics or extracurricular activities mediates these factors.

Bullying does not directly cause truancy, researchers found.  A caring school community where students are challenged academically and adults support them can serve as a powerful antidote.  Victimization often distances students from learning and contributes to a myriad of other problems, including truancy and academic failure.

The researchers found “bullying in a box” curriculums—generic, pre-fabricated, anti-bullying curriculums—to be an ineffective substitute for intentional, student-focused engagement strategies.

The researchers further recommended these strategies for schools:

• Offer mentoring programs;
• Provide students with opportunities for community service;
• Address the difficult transition between elementary and middle school (from one single classroom teacher to teams of teachers with periods and class changes in a large school); and
• Start prevention programs early.

OJJDP’s bullying series examines the relationship among bullying, school attendance, school engagement, and school achievement; presents survey findings of young adults bullied in grade school; provides teachers’ observations on efforts to ameliorate school bullying; and compares findings to existing research on bullying.

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Cox is launching a multi-faceted anti-bullying public service campaign in response to the growing problem of youth bullying in Virginia. This program will reach parents and children, while providing tools needed to successfully cope with bullying. This effort is in coordination with the premiere of Cox Channel 11′s “Plugged-In: Breaking the Bully Culture” special.

The program will premiere on Sunday, November 20, at 8 p.m. Also, radio personalities from several radio stations in the Hampton Roads market are partnering with Cox to share important information on bullying. Nick Taylor and Tricia Harris Friddell from Z104; Chuck Doudand Mary Kathryn Wood from The Point, Teresa Baker from R&B-FM; and Jenna Kehoe from 2WD will appear in the television advertisements intended to raise awareness of the problem of bullying.

Also, free informational resource cards and “Take Charge! Stop the Bullying” wristbands will be available at all Cox Solutions Stores for kids and parents during this campaign. These materials address the warning signs of youth bullying and offer advice for kids on how to better deal with bullying situations and behaviors.

Gary McCollum, SVP & General Manager of Cox Communications said, “The statistics which show how many of our kids are being bullied, are alarming. Our goal is to bring more general awareness to this important issue, and to arm both children and parents with resources to face and overcome it.”

Research from the National Center for Bullying Prevention, the Virginia Department of Health, and the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, was used to develop the materials for this public service effort. The following are statistics which are most prominent in the findings:

• One in every four kids is bullied frequently
• Only twenty-five to fifty percent of those children report the bullying
• This is a growing problem and quickly becoming an epidemic in this country.

McCollum adds, “Cox Communications is committed to supporting youth and education, and we are proud to launch this state-wide campaign.”

“Plugged In: Breaking the Bully Culture” Special on Cox 11

Cox Channel 11 will air another episode of its award-winning show “Plugged In: Breaking the Bully Culture” on Sunday. This special will give viewers a closer look at the impact of bullying behaviors on young people.

The show is hosted by Z104 morning radio personality, Nick Taylor, who speaks with students from Crittenden and Passage Middle Schools about the bullying behaviors they face everyday. Experts throughout Virginia who specialize in the advocacy for bullying prevention also join the discussion.

• Dr. Catherine Moffett , Associate Professor, Counselor Education, VCU
• Dr. Tawyna Pettiford-Wates , Founder & Director, The Conciliation Project
• Donzell Lewis , The Conciliation Project
• Janelle Spitz, Principal, Passage Middle School
• Patrice Lambusta , Library Media Specialist, Passage Middle School
• Tanya Graham , Teacher, Crittenden Middle School
• Nicholas Diggs , Teacher, Crittenden Middle School
• Deborah Christian , Certified Trainer, The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program

Participating in this production is a panel of bullying prevention experts from across the state including advisors from Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Tech, the Virginia Departments of Health and Education, and the National Center for the Prevention of Bullying.

Students from Passage Middle School and Crittenden Middle school were part of the interactive audience of the ‘Plugged In’ special hosted by Z104′s Nick Taylor. Tips and information sharing for subscribers will also occur regularly on the Cox Facebook and Twitter pages during the campaign.

There will be additional airings of this show throughout December and January on Cox 11 Hampton Roads, Cox 9 Roanoke, and the program will be available On Demand channel 2069.

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On September 22, 2010, eighteen-year-old Tyler Clementi, a freshman at Rutgers University, jumped off the George Washington Bridge after a video of him in an intimate encounter circulated on the internet. Clementi’s roommate had secretly filmed Clementi with another man and posted these videos online. Earlier that year, fifteen-year-old Phoebe Prince from South Hadley, Massachusetts, committed suicide on January 14 after months of torment and embarrassment by the “Mean Girls” of her school. Both stories hit national headlines and started long months of revisiting bullying.

On March 10, 2011, President Obama and the First Lady hosted the first-ever White House Conference on Bullying Prevention. The goal of this conference was to dispel the myth that bullying is a rite of passage or an inevitable part of growing up. Exactly five months earlier, Obama had produced a video, as part of the LGBT youth project: It Gets Better Project. The project’s message is simple: no matter how difficult or hopeless life may seem when you’re a young person who’s been tormented by your peers or feels like you don’t fit in: life will get better. President Obama is committed to ending bullying, harassment, and discrimination in schools and communities.

Excellent, a president so devoted to dismissing the myth of “rite of passage.” Now the question comes down to: If our own president is dedicated, then why is it so hard to get legislatives passed for anti-bullying, such as the Tyler Clementi’s bill? Why is it that the country’s current laws against bullying and cyber-bullying have loopholes that only protect children under specific conditions? For example, child abuse laws state that any act on the part of a parent or caretaker that results in physical and/or emotional harm, sexual abuse, serious injury or death, as well as exploitation is considered child abuse. However, isn’t peer abuse amongst children still a form of child abuse? In both scenarios a CHILD is being harmed physically and/or emotionally. Yet, the child abuse laws apply ONLY to actions taken by a PARENT or CARETAKER. Loophole!

By now, most people are members of many different social networks, from Facebook to Twitter to Tumblr. As a user of Twitter, I have been looking for a Twitter account whose sole purpose is bullying of any form. While there are hundreds account, many are government based while others are users who want to stop bullying. As I browsed through different accounts, each one discussed recent bullying stories and suicides, how to confront the issue (as a parent), and how to prevent yourself in becoming a victim. I came across one account, BullyingTruth, which did not talk about such things but talked about the real issue behind it: loopholes. This account discussed the shocking facts that no one else seems to talk about. Of course, I began following them, even though they didn’t have many followers. I figured the reason is because 1) they don’t know or 2) they are scared. But, someone needs to stand up and talk about the facts that no one is willing to. Bullying can be stopped if people take actions and be bold. Only then can we put a stop to the torture that many children go through every day, which by the way is not any rite of passage in life.

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