October brings the start of National Bullying Prevention Month. July Hertzog, the director of the PACER National Bullying Prevention Center, says it’s a month to educate the public about this issue. Her organization, which is located in Minnesota, started addressing the issue in 2006.
“We recognized at that time that bullying was going to be an issue that we wanted communities to get behind, so this is actually the seventh year of this event. And we have a message of ‘the end of bullying begins with me,’ and it’s about a time when communities can unite behind bullying prevention,” according toe Hertzog.
Hertzog says there will be activities across the state and nation addressing the problems of bullying in the classroom, and everyone is asked to wear orange on Unity Day on October 10. “It’s and activity that’s simple to do, we really encourage schools to take part in it,” Hertzog says. “Because what it does is just send that visible tangible message, that it is an issue that people care about and that they want to show support for those people who are being bullied.”
Hertzog says the main way to end bullying is to work together and stand up to address this problem. She said the message is to start addressing the problem right now to talk about it and take action. Hertzog says PACER offers help for those who want to address it with resources at www.PACER.org/bullying.
There is also a national toll free phone number for more information on bullying prevention. It’s 1-888-248-0822.
By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City