LAUSD: Synergy Mural Program

Each year, bullying affects the lives of at least 3.2 million students across the globe.  While some schools tend to look over bullying, many schools have started to reprimand their students for even the slightest act of bullying. However, bullying does not start and end in the school.  Bullying starts in the home and it is the responsibility of the parents to encourage their children to be kind and respectable people. In the times of social media and the internet, bullying is a bigger problem than it has ever been. Even though bullying has always been a problem in the lives of adolescents,  it is ultimately the responsibility of parents and school faculty to make sure bullying is stopped in it’s tracks and does not become a bigger problem than it already is.

Bullying is defined as “verbal, physical, or psychological abuse or teasing accompanied by real or perceived imbalance of power” and is usually targets what children perceive as different (Olweus, 1993). Bullying is prevalent across the nation. It has devastating effects on students each day. Bullying is a problem for all students, regardless of race, gender or class. The National Education Association reports that 160,000 children are absent intentionally from school each day because they fear being bullied whether it is an attack or just intimidation by other students. This accounts for 15% of all school absenteeism (Hunter, 2012). Dan Olweus (1993) from the National School Safety Center tells us that bullying includes three parts: (1)

Bullying at school is a big problem that is found in all the schools in the United States and across the world. Since the late 1990s there have been several fatal school shootings committed by victims of bullying that have brought bullying major media attention. This has resulted in an increase of awareness about the harmful effects on the kids being bullied as well as the bullies themselves. This has brought a large amount of local, state, and nationwide programs designed to try to prevent bullying or to at least try to contain the problem. “In an effort to adequately address the problem, many schools are taking a proactive approach through prevention and intervention, but how do we know if and when such intervention is effective? First and foremost, we must have an accurate understanding of the dynamic and complex phenomenon of bullying across development and as it spans the multiple levels of the social ecology” (Casper, Meter, & Card, 2015, par 2). Many psychologists, sociologists, and school administrators have been publishing research on school bullying. Bullying is a significant threat to many children because it causes psychological problems not only for those who get bullied but also those who do the bullying. Even though bullying is a significant problem the are few solutions that can help prevent or significantly reducing bullying like reporting bullying, know the characteristics, and passing laws.

Based on what you’ve learned so far in this course, do you see a need for public artwork on the STC campuses? Explain why.

Experts say that the old methods that were once used to help bring down the rate of bullying are now no longer effective because they are out-of-date. Ortiz states, “In the past, administrators often relied on individual conversations, sporadic motivational speakers and other piecemeal attempts focused on telling students not to be mean”. It is quite obvious as to why these methods are now considered to be very elementary and inefficient. As our society advances, our methods of coping with complexities need to advance as well. Luckily, school districts will implement ideas of having more in-depth approaches that stress on the importance of respect and peer-to-peer remediation. Schools all across the United States are taking a stand against bullying by focusing on crucial campaigns that strive on more inclusive approaches such as the “No One Eats Alone” campaign and the “Stop, Walk and Talk

For years, negativity and bullying plagued schools around the globe. Schools implemented many anti-bully precautions. However, Roni Nocon, a Mesa Verde Middle School counselor, reformed the traditional cruel and unusual punishment policy. She wanted a positive event rather than an overused anti-bullying campaign. Furthermore, she wanted to transform the school’s bland assemblies into fun and interactive ones. “[We] can create a safe environment for our school… by taking a proactive and entertaining approach to stop bullying,” Nocon said. Therefore, she; Monica Racicot, the Mesa Verde’s After School Education and Safety Program director; and Stephanie Smith, former counselor; founded Kind Crew, a club working to eradicate harassment, and revamped

To ensure that awareness of this project is spread, the school shall advertise via its social media pages, the school website and newspaper. Contacting parents via letter, email and text message and interschool conferences. Students will be made aware via learning support and teaching staff that they are closely affiliated

We believe parents and educators need to be more proactive and get involved with children’s education. Our concept is to encourage the parents as well as the schools to seek outreach programs such as ours to further invest in our children's education and future. As well as help fund schools….

Student involvement is a fantastic way to prevent bullying because it helps students work with and understand each other. According to the article, “Bullying Prevention: Can Students Make Kindness Cool?” by Cristina Maza,

Majority of the time children get into feuds in school over breakups or disrespecting each other in the school hallway. School administrator Robin Lowe, principle for 25 years of Houston Middle School, states that “bullying is not cool kids attacking outcasts.” She finds that a lot of parents who bring her Facebook printouts, later find out their own children are posting aggressive material as well. The people arguing about anti-bullying efforts going to the extreme, do agree that kids need to learn how to treat everyone with respect. The exaggeration of bullying being an epidemic is taking its toll.

Reaching out to parents/residents and making them feeling like their voices matter to the community will help guide them to help their young people and school flourish.

The program is methodologically sound, innovative, grade and skill level appropriate and presents clear value for the school or

Bullying is a recurrent issue that can be found in many, if not all, schools across the world. It is a universal action. “Bullying is broadly defined as intentional and repeated acts that occur through direct verbal, direct physical, and indirect forms (cyberbullying), and it typically occurs in situations in which there is a power or status difference” (O’Brennan, Waasdorp, & Bradshaw, 2014). In a study done among 876 students in grades 4, 5 and 6, researchers came to the conclusion that nearly 30% of students commit acts of bullying against their classmates, with reports of bullying being two times higher than the rate of bullying itself. “Aggression and peer victimization are significant problems for many elementary and middle school students” (Jensen, Brisson, Bender &Williford, 2013). According to Lindsey M. O’Brennan, Tracy E. Waasdorp and Catherine P. Bradshaw, in their article “Strengthening Bullying Prevention Through School Staff Connectedness, they state

elements in achieving this end and it is crucial that school staff communicate any ideas, issues or

The community and parents will be made aware of all the great accomplishments of their children and the positive interactions faced during the school day. Administrators, teachers and students will participate in providing the community with positive news through the use of websites, apps, social media and traditional forms.