John, Many of you are educators and parents. You have experienced firsthand how a healthy and safe school climate can improve a student's life. You understand how much pain students endure when that is not the case. Last week we showed you what the average school day is like for a student experiencing bullying. We checked back in with those same students 3 months later. Here’s what they had to say: "[Before], I ha[d] been feeling left out and not included, [now] they are asking me to go on hikes outside of school.” - California "[Before, 'Q' told] me to go away when they are practicing dance. She even told other people [to] get away from me. It makes me sad when she does those things to me… I felt embarrassed. I joined the dance team and practice every Tuesday and it’s fun. Everything is better. They’re nice to me now.” - Rhode Island It is critical for us as educators and parents to ensure that this positive impact is sustained. Research shows that a student's ability to make and keep friends is the number one indicator of life satisfaction in adults (CASTLE, 2018). Bullies can sometimes make that impossible. | |
