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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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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