During National Bullying Prevention Month we witnessed countless inspring stories of standing up. Here are two videos that feature the Not In Our School model on the Disney Channel and KPIX in San Francisco.
Disney Channel Showcases Student Upstanders
Now you can tune into the Disney Channel to see an anti-bullying campaign in action!
Students at Sunset Ridge Middle School in Utah covered their campus with Post-it notes that contained messages such as, “Not in our school” and “Stop hate together.” Disney Channel picked up on the activity and is now featuring it as part of their Make Your Mark campaign, reaching nearly 100 million homes in the U.S.
Bikers Against Bullying: Not In Our School in Oakland
A Bay Area Harley club literally roared into two Oakland, CA elementary schools last week to kick off Not In Our School campaigns against bullying.
The Coastside Armada, a local Harley group, met with students during an interactive assembly and discussed the severity of stereotyping and how it can lead to bullying. Peralta and Esperanza elementary schools both held anti-bullying events with the bikers on Oct. 25, and also utilized student leaders to demonstrate the traits of an upstander, someone who sees bullying and does something to stop it.
San Francisco CBS affiliate KPIX came out to cover the event at Peralta. See what students had to say about the assembly by watching below.
Find out how to start an anti-bullying campaign on your campus with the Not In Our School Quick Start Guide.
Comments
Diversity, acceptance, kindness
King Burue Changes the Rules, is a children’s story with an adult dilemma told so simply through the keen interpretation of an 8 year-old child author and advocate. The theme is one of diversity that goes a step further with a lesson about embracing who you are while accepting others in the same way. It is not uncommon and, yet, still a challenge, leading children to believe they have to fit a “norm” designated by invisible rules, instead of celebrating individuality. The delicate boundaries of diversity are revealed using animals and told in a way that is so rich in context. The illustrator, Amene Beheshti, adds another unique dimension that flourishes with the imagination of the writer and truly makes it a modern day allegory, with a lesson for the parent as well.
Natalija Tatjana Bajlo, the author, is a young gifted child who has a very mature perspective with untainted notions. Her fable exemplifies the mantra of acceptance accompanied by the rules of trust, kindness, selflessness and the need to be true to your heart. A goose, who defies his own kingdom’s rule when he marries the lovely Japanese parrot, Kimiko, attempts to disguise her as one of his own kind by covering up her unique beauty. The plan falls apart and the King sets off on a journey to the find a solution. He unexpectedly discovers that all he once believed to be right, based on a rule made up a long, long time ago, was actually quite wrong. When King Burue witnesses how his friends had found solace in the companionship of unlikely mates, it leads him to challenge the tradition of many generations when he proposes to change the rules.
Stories that fortify kindness and teach children to examine without bias will be an invaluable resource for social development. A vehicle for parents to teach their children that it doesn’t matter what we look like, but instead, what defines us is how we treat others and contribute as a person. This raises the consciousness of self-awareness as it relates to how we affect others. Building self-esteem while breaking down the barriers between people lessens the motive of hate and, hopefully, will reduce bullying as these children grow up being intrigued by their differences rather than fearing them. Making changes for tomorrow begins early in life.
SEE THE YOUTUBE BELOW:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ttpXNz9ceI
"Natalija hopes that her story will be a vehicle that helps rely an important message. A child is reaching out to other children expressing that diversity is a celebration of each individual's uniqueness and that there is nothing to fear, hate or a reason to bully.
Instead a person should be defined by their character, not by what they look like or whom they may like. King Burue portrays that it’s okay to stand up for what you feel is right, even if it means changing the way people are used to thinking."
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