Change is in the air.

Last week (October 11 and 12) I took a hike to Black Balsam in western North Carolina near Asheville. Climbing upward along the worn path I was filled with gratitude about being able to access such magnificent beauty with relative ease. On the first hike I was accompanied by Jane

and we made the excursion after work. One the second hike I was accompanied by Steve.

Color was everywhere. Russets, golds, reds, and deep yellows painted broad swaths from the base of the mountains to the top, the colors changing as a function of altitude and sunlight.

It is easy to embrace the change of seasons when it is hearlded by such fanfare.

 

Anti-Bullying campaign

As a response to the recent teen suicides in September and October of 2010, I decided to send a letter to all my friends asking them to contact their local school administrative units and inquire about the anti-bullying policy in affect. Hopefully this will serve as a reminder to them that this is an important issue that needs to be reviewed and strengthened. Here is the text. Feel free to do your own activist thing and contact your local schools.


Friends,

October 11 is national Coming Out Day! You may not have been aware of that but I think it is the perfect opportunity for us to stand up against oppression and "come out" for clear and tough rules about bullying in schools.

I am talking about the oppression both subtle and overt of students that do not fit into the culture of conformity, so much a part of adolescence. Aggression and micro-aggression not only against students with an expressed different sexual orientation, but also against students with intellectual, physical, and emotional handicaps, as well as different religious beliefs and practices.

The news this week has been grim since the spotlight has been turned onto a rash of tragic suicides resulting from bullying of some kind within the school setting. I am sure this happens more frequently than we can imagine, but now that the media has turned their attention to it, we are suddenly made aware in a powerful way. In one survey (2009 GLESEN survey) 9 out of 10 gay and lesbian students reported being harassed in the previous year.

U.S. Secretary of Education Anne Duncan recently said; "This is a moment where every one of us -- parents, teachers, students, elected officials, and all people of conscience -- needs to stand up and speak out against intolerance in all its forms," "No more. This must stop."

I would add that the argument the suicides are the result of an unhealthy life-style is dangerous and leads to a certain absolution of guilt on the part of society in general, and possibly on the part of organizations charged with the safety of children.

So, here is what I ask you to do for your very own "Coming Out" . Please contact your state and local school officials and ask that they review and strengthen

their policy against bullying in schools (if they have one!). If they have a policy, ask that it be sent to you. This will let them know that the issue is important and demands attention.

Please feel free to forward this message to all your friends wherever they may live.

Thank you in advance, and thank you for coming out!!!

William

For North Carolina:



Bev Purdue (Gov.)
919-733-4240
www.governor.state.nc.us/eTownhall/suggestionBox.aspx

NCPublic Schools:
919-807-3300
Asheville City Schools:
828-350-7000 (Ask to leave a message for the Superintendent)
Buncombe County Schools:
828-255-5921 (Ask to leave a message for the Superintendent)
communication@bcsemail.org

Other States:
Google state government for you state or city. Contacts are not always easy to find as numbers are sometimes buried under much information (imagine!!), but they are there .




Sample request:
Yes, my name is ___________and lately I have been thinking about the recent rash of teen suicides around the country stemming from aggressive and subtle bullying of students who in some way do not conform to the general population in either orientation, religious beliefs, or because of physical or intellectual
handicaps. I was hoping that you could inform me of the policy against bullying that is in place for your schools. I would also ask that you bring this issue up for current review and do all that you can to strengthen this policy so that there is no misunderstanding about the severity of the problem for these students. I thank you in advance for all your efforts in creating a safe environment for all students, especially those who in some way do not conform to the standard population.

My phone number is ______and my email address is____________. I would appreciate any contact regarding this issue that is very important to me.

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.







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