Opinion

Creative solutions needed to bullying

Posted January 18, 2013 3:40 am

Bullies have always been around and always will be. Many discussions have taken place on the topic. I believe adults must provide a culture of care to all students. Students need to know that there is somewhere they can go to report bullying and trust that their concerns will be thoroughly investigated.

A feeling of isolation has resulted in many teen suicides. One such instance which gained national attention was the suicide of Phoebe Prince on Jan. 14, 2010. In the aftermath of that tragedy, many people were angry and demanded justice. Task forces were formed all over the country in attempt to study the problem and determine its roots. I participated in a task force that presented ideas to the Glen Ellyn Elementary District 41 school board.

One of our main points was that we must provide a culture of care. There must be many signs in every school that state bullying will not be tolerated. I even tried to start a campaign called WE CARE (We Encourage Compassion, Awareness, Respect, and Empathy). This particular campaign didn’t gain any traction but I do believe a lot has been done to address this crisis. I pray all good citizens of this country dig deep into their souls and try to come up with creative solutions.

Robert Lindsay

Wheaton

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