Anti-Bullying Group Unites

DAYTON - A group of six students and six parents met at Dayton High School last Friday armed with signs and an agenda to call attention to bullying in the Dayton School District.

Parent Kim Suchodolski was one of the leaders of the parent-student group who made the meeting at the high school last Friday a call to ac- tion for parents and students. The group carried signs outside the school that said "National Anti-Bullying Day," "Stop the bullying," "Please help the students" and "We won't stand for it."

"I believe our children have had enough to deal with nowadays without having to worry about being bullied at school," Suchodolski said.

The group learned after it had set the date for their meeting that it coincided with National Anti-Bullying Day.

Dayton's Superintendent Doug Johnson said he was dealing with a group of students when the group in support of victims of bul- lying came into the school office, so he was unable to speak with them. Johnson said overall the district is still trying to address bullying issues.

"( We are) constantly working on student and par- ent issues in regards to alle- gations of bullying, intimida- tion and harassment," John- son said. "We are trying to create a safe environment for everybody hellip; that's our job."

The school district policy defines harassment, intimi- dation or bullying as "any intentionally written message or image, including those that are electronically transmitted, verbal, or physical act, including but not limited or one shown to be motivated by race, color, religion ances- try, national origin, gender, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, mental or physical disabil- ity or other distinguishing characteristics when an act: physically harms a student or damages the student's property, has the effect of substantially interfering with a student's education, is so severe, persistent or pervasive that it creates an intimidating or threatening educational environment or has the effect of substantially disrupting the or- derly operation of the school."

Students should be able to attend school without the fear of being physically or verbally harassed by obnoxious bullies, Suchodolski said. She added bullies may think they can push students around because of their parents' standing eco- nomically or with the district.

Victims of bullying have had to face everything from jokes about weight, appear- ance, clothes and family, Suchodolski said.

"We have seen enough sui- cides in our lovely little town," Suchodolski said. "There are girls who have been suspected of cutting themselves because of the torment."

Parent Gabby Oribio-Oroz- co also participated in the rally.

"We figured it was time we started to do something," Oribio-Orozco said. "We're trying to get together in two or three weeks and invite Ann Passmore from the YWCA (to talk to students)."

Oribio-Orozco said she hopes having counselors come and speak to students who are struggling with bul- lying will help encourage them to come forward.

"They don't know how to handle it and they just feel alone," Oribio-Orozco said. "We just want to let them know that we know there's a problem and we don't know how to help them but we're willing to try."

Suchodolski said there are also students who are suffer- ing from anorexia and bulimia from being the victim of bul- lying because of their weight.

She said there was already a lot going on in the high school office when the group arrived there last Friday, so they weren't able to garner a lot of attention from faculty.

"I'm hoping we got a clue out there that there was a problem," Suchodolski said.

The group advocating for students who have been vic- tims of bullying is thinking about having another deo- monstration in the future and may be forming a group to discuss the bullying and com- ing up with ideas about how to stop it, Suchodolski said.

Americorps volunteer Bree Jacobs worked at Dayton Middle School last school year and helped organize and paint an anti-bullying mural outside the schools.

"I am really excited to hear that the parents have gotten involved with the anti-bullying campaign," Jacobs said. "It means that parents are discussing bullying with their children."

Awareness about the issue is what inspires change, Jacobs added. Jacobs said she saw a lot of bullying in the school while she was working there and it inspired her to create the mural to let students know that bullying is happening and they can stop it.

Jacobs encouraged par- ents and students to create an anti-bullying group or event to continue the conversation, which Jacobs said she would be happy to participate in.

The Dayton School District's bullying policies can be found on the district website at dayton.wednet.edu under the district office, board policies tab. The form to file a com- plaint of harassment, intimidation or bullying is 3207F.