Not in Our School | Not in Our Town

Not in Our School

NIOS Identity Safe and Inclusive Schools Program
A Guide to Eradicating Bullying and Creating Belonging.
New Film: Our Family
Check out "Our Family," a new short film about celebrating diversity in families.
Not In Our School Workshops
Hands on training for teachers, administrators, and parents who want to address bullying.
Not in Our School: Quick Start Guide
Start a campaign in your campus! Photo Credit: Paly Voice
Watch Video: Break Bullying
Upworthy featured this Not In Our School video. 2.2M views!
Parent Guide to Prevent & Address Bullying & Intolerance
The Not In Our School (NIOS) Parent Guide for Preventing and Addressing Bullying and Intolerance highlights what you—as a parent—should do when your child is a victim of bullying.

About NIOS

Not In Our School is a program that creates safe, accepting and inclusive school communities. Not In Our School provides training, films, lesson plans and resources that inspire students to take the lead in standing up to bullying and intolerance in their schools.

Find Lesson Plans

  • Leaving a Positive Footprint
    In this new video geared toward elementary schools, students from Grimmer Elementary School in Fremont, CA explore the impact of bullying and...
  • Waking in Oak Creek
    Waking in Oak Creek: A Community Rocked by Hate is Awakened and Transformed As the Sikh community in Oak Creek, Wisconsin prepares for Sunday...
  • Our Family: Film Lesson Guide
    Download the full lesson guide that accompanies Our Family. Background: Families in the United States today come in many different types...
  • GUÍA DE ACTIVIDADES: PILETA DE ESTEREOTIPOS
      Este video destaca una actividad interactiva llamada “Disolviendo estereotipos.” Se puede usar de manera efectiva con alumnos o adultos...
  • Deja Una Huella Positiva
      En este video los estudiantes de Grimmer Elementary School en Fremont, California exploran el impacto del acoso escolar o “bullying” y...
  • Inténtenlo: Representación Anti-Acoso Escolar
      Estudiantes líderes de la escuela secundaria  Del Sur en Lancaster, California visitan una escuela primaria local y enseñan a...
  • Try it Out: Anti-bullying Role-Play
      Grade Level: Elementary grades K-5 Film Run Time: 4:51 En Español: Inténtenlo: Representación Anti-Acoso Escolar  ...
  • Class Actions Screening Questions, Part 3: California
    Find previews and information about Class Actions at niot.org/ClassActions Written by: Julie Mann, Newcomers High School...
  • What is Not In Our School
     Description: This video provides a brief overview of the purpose and goals of NIOS. It includes brief interviews with Patrice O’Neill,...
  • White-Out to Erase Bullying
     Students at Watchung Hills Regional High School in New Jersey were fascinated when they heard about an Orange Out against bullying in...
  • Activity Guide: Documenting Communities through Interviews and Film
    The students profiled in this video acted as documentarians for their local community and its changing demographics, attitudes and experiences. The students used this data to inform their efforts to promote mutual respect and equality in their school. Providing students with the opportunity to research and explore the history of civil and social justice issues in their own communities can be a powerful tool for learning and reflection.
  • Class Actions: Post-Screening Activities
    Find previews and information about Class Actions at niot.org/ClassActions Written by: Julie Mann, Newcomers High School teacher, and Joe Lobozzo, Lakewood High School teacher
  • Not In Our Town: The Billings Story
      SUGGESTED QUESTIONS FOR STUDENTS AFTER READING THE CHRISTMAS MENORAHS, VIEWING NOT IN OUR TOWN, OR VIEWING OR PERFORMING PAPER CANDLES. By Janice I. Cohn Fighting Bullies         The residents of Billings stood up to bullies despite the risks.
  • The Royal Chicano Air Force
      The Royal Chicano Air Force (RCAF) is an artistic collective based in Sacramento, California.  It was founded in 1969 to express the goals of the Chicano civil rights and labor organizing movement of the United Farm Workers. Its mission was to make available to the Chicano community a bilingual/bicultural arts center where artists could come together, exchange ideas, provide mutual support, and make available to the public artistic, cultural, and educational programs and events.
  • Activity Guide: Bullying Role Play and Practicing Intervention
    In this video, students use role-playing scenarios to depict experiences with prejudice or name-calling and practice effective interventions to combat or stop the bullying or harassment. This process can be an effective tool to use with students in your own classroom and school. Please use the guidelines below and review the “Note of Caution” to ensure a positive and productive experience.
  • Lesson Idea: Stand Up, Stand Out: No Checking, No Capping, No Bullying
     Overview:
  • Slater Jewell-Kemker - EXPRESS
      Slater Jewell-Kemker is a 17-year-old filmmaker and reporter who celebrates the best of humanity, empowering young people to change the world with media and technology. Through her work, Slater has empowered a global network of young environmentalists and met with important trendsetters and lawmakers. By using the tool of EXPRESS, Slater and the youth that join her are creating positive social change. This lesson addresses the following Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) strategies and you can have students look for these issues and examine them in themselves.
  • Extraordinary Upstander: Jennifer Gaxiola
      Although unable to speak, read or write in English when she came to the United States in 2005, Jennifer Gaxiola's innate sense of self-worth compelled her to succeed.  
  • Activity Guide: Discussing Prejudice and Discrimination
    Engaging students in dialogue about prejudice and discrimination is a very powerful tool in combating hate and bullying and ensuring respectful classrooms and schools. Such dialogues can be led by classroom teachers, school social workers or counselors, or by other students trained to lead and facilitate dialogue.  Having students view the “Students Tune In and Speak Out” video to begin such a dialogue is an effective way to open this process.
  • Class Actions in the Classroom: A Compilation of Lesson Ideas
    Schools and college campuses are screening Not In Our Town: Class Actions across the country. Here we will compile ideas on how to use this PBS program in your classroom. Thanks to Newcomers High School (Long Island City, NY) teacher Julie Mann and Lakewood High School (Lakewood, OH) teacher Joe Lobozzo for preparing these comprehensive materials.  Pre-Screening Activities 
  • Our Family: Film Lesson Guide
    Download the full lesson guide that accompanies Our Family. Background:
  • Activity Guide: Discussing Prejudice and Discrimination
    Engaging students in dialogue about prejudice and discrimination is a very powerful tool in combating hate and bullying and ensuring respectful classrooms and schools. Such dialogues can be led by classroom teachers, school social workers or counselors, or by other students trained to lead and facilitate dialogue.  Having students view the “Students Tune In and Speak Out” video to begin such a dialogue is an effective way to open this process.
  • Activity Guide: Bullying Role Play and Practicing Intervention
    In this video, students use role-playing scenarios to depict experiences with prejudice or name-calling and practice effective interventions to combat or stop the bullying or harassment. This process can be an effective tool to use with students in your own classroom and school. Please use the guidelines below and review the “Note of Caution” to ensure a positive and productive experience. This lesson is part of the Not In Our School Video Action Kit, a comprehensive toolkit featuring films, lessons, and resources designed to motivate students to speak out against bullying, and create new ways to make their schools safe for everyone.  
  • Activity Guide: Documenting Communities through Interviews and Film
    The students profiled in this video acted as documentarians for their local community and its changing demographics, attitudes and experiences. The students used this data to inform their efforts to promote mutual respect and equality in their school. Providing students with the opportunity to research and explore the history of civil and social justice issues in their own communities can be a powerful tool for learning and reflection.  
  • Activity Guide: Addressing "That's So Gay" In Your Classroom
    If interested in modeling this dialogue in your own classroom, please use the following guidelines to assist in ensuring a positive and productive discussion. This lesson is part of the Not In Our School Video Action Kit, a comprehensive toolkit featuring films, lessons, and resources designed to motivate students to speak out against bullying, and create new ways to make their schools safe for everyone. Age-level: middle and high school students  
  • Activity Guide: Student-led Assembly to Shatter Stereotypes
    In this video, students created an assembly performance that included individual presentations, role-playing scenarios and musical performances.  Any or all of these efforts represent exciting and creative ways for students to contribute their voice and perspectives to important social justice issues.   As this is a big undertaking, please review the following guidelines to assist in your planning and implementation.  
  • Activity Guide: Public Art as an Avenue for Respect and Social Justice
    As a result of the murder of Marcelo Lucero, there were many positive efforts in the community to embrace diversity and build respect for all. One of these was the creation of public art to reflect feelings and attitudes about the murder and to create a positive and hopeful message for the future. The use of art can be a wonderful way for students to express ideas about diversity, respect and social justice concerns. The following guideline provides instruction on how to lead such a process with students. Age-level: middle and high school students Note: This activity process will need to take place over several class periods or student-group meetings. If not an art teacher, consider joining with one to assist and support this process.  
  • Activity Guide: Student Leadership Against Hate, Ideas for Active Participation
    While the students profiled in this video had a catalyst prompting them to hold a community anti-hate rally, this is not necessary to engage students or the larger community in conversations and learning about diversity and respect.   In fact, establishing these principals as priorities in your school -- to be discussed and affirmed not only in times of crisis -- can be very powerful in preventing incidents from occurring or if they do, to know there are established channels of support and response.  
  • Activity Guide: Stereotype Pool
    This video highlights a powerful activity called Dissolving Stereotypes. This activity can be used effectively with students or adults to explore experiences with stereotypes and hurtful words and ways to “dissolve” the hurt caused.  
  • Strategies for Using Not In Our School Videos (Facing History and Ourselves)
    Facing History and Ourselves combats racism, antisemitism, and religious prejudice by using history to teach tolerance in classrooms around the globe. The purpose of this lesson idea is to provide some general strategies for using any of the Not in Our School videos. We encourage you to check out other lesson ideas that Facing History and Ourselves has developed for specific Not in Our School videos and for using the website in general:

School Groups

Across the country, NIOS groups are creating new ways to make their schools safe for everyone. Start your own NIOS group page, and share how you're standing up for acceptance and inclusion!
Learn More About School Groups