Q: How do you stop the bullying in schools these days? — Joanie from Niles

A: The T.E.A.M curriculum that is used across Michigan has a class on bully-proofing the schools. Each grade — K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and high school — has an age appropriate lesson, 30 to 45 minutes long. These lessons discuss the definition of bullying, the dynamics of the bully situation, who are the victims, bullies and the people who can stand up with the victim, the bystanders. This part informs the students that if you’re not helping the victim, you are supporting the bully.
Each lesson then gives age appropriate options on how to safely stand up to the bully, how to deflect the bully, how to report the bully and how to get help to prevent becoming a victim again. Also presented is the fact that there is help for the bully also, to end the bully mentality. The bully is basically “fired” in front of the class. (At no time in this presentation is a victim or bully pointed out.)
Most school administration personnel have been trained to recognize the difference between bullying and other aggressive activity. They have been trained on responding to bullying and to be proactive in stopping this.
Currently, Michigan does not have a “bullying” law; however, other laws are in place to assist school and police personnel with the problem. Assault and battery, stalking and sexual harassment are a few. Recently, “Matt’s Law” was presented in the legislature but failed due to some legal technicalities. Matt’s Law was named for a student who committed suicide due to an ongoing bully problem, a term we call “Bullycide.”

E-mail Trooper Rob Herbstreith at trooperrob53@yahoo.com.