There’s an upside and a downside to our focus on bullying prevention. The upside, of course, is that we’re shedding light on the pervasive culture of mean that is destroying the confidence of so many children and teens. The…
Read More
I was just in Huntsville, Alabama. School started there on Monday. It always surprises me because living on the east coast, Labor Day weekend is cherished as the last weekend of freedom. August seems too unnatural to put on shoes…
Leadership. It’s so powerful but it can be so simple. Josh’s story is proof that it can also be catching. In his case, it was also the answer to overcoming the long tail of pain that bullying causes. If you…
It’s a new school year and for those of you who are reading this and didn’t have such a great year last year, I hope things are much better this year. Things can change. Sometimes the mix of the students…
Have you heard of The Fat Boy Chronicles? The book, co-written by authors Michael Buchanan and Diane Lang, both former award-winning teachers, is based on a true story of a bullied obese ninth grader. It doesn’t matter how old you…
Ever since reading the delightful and insightful Fat Boy Chronicles by Diane Lang and Michael Buchanan, I can’t stop thinking about it and why it hits home for me. The main character, Jimmy Winterpock is an overweight boy who lets…
Yesterday I was walking past two boys playing basketball. My guess is that they were about 12 years old and they were having a great time. Laughing and joking around. One of the kids had to leave and as he…
Retard. Homo. Lard Ass. Spaz. Ask a middle or high school kid and they can usually come up with many more words meant to be weapons aimed at anybody who seems to be a little different…or maybe even someone that…
It’s hard to believe that Amanda no longer goes to New Dorp High School. She didn’t transfer or graduate early. Carrying a suicide note, she stepped in front of a bus and later died from the injuries. What will it…
When looking back on 2011 and all the speakers I’ve heard on the issue of bullying and Internet Safety, a couple of them stand out. They happen to be related and were on the same panel at this year’s International…