The information that follows is intended to inform families and the community
about issues relating to bullying. Please be informed. Major newspapers are
reporting that bullying - and in particular, cyber-bullying - is prevalent in
middle schools. Arlington Middle School staff is dedicated to ensuring a safe
and secure environment for all students. As such, we have hosted guest
speakers in assembly-format such as John Halligan (father of Ryan Halligan),
Jesse Saperstein (former AMS student who was bullied), DARE police, and
during the 2012-2013 school year Rachel's Challenge.
officer Steven Leung of the Town of Poughkeepsie Police. We are continually
looking for programs to offer students to raise their awareness about these
issues. Through these impactful programs we hope they learn what to do if
they are victimized. If you are a student and you are victimized by a cyber-
bully or even a more conventional bully, please report it to a parent or
another trusted adult at home or in school.
New York State’s Dignity for All Students Act (The Dignity Act)
seeks to provide the State’s public elementary and secondary
school students with a safe and supportive environment free from
discrimination, intimidation, taunting, harassment, and bullying
on school property, a school bus, and/or at a school function.
The Dignity Act took effect on July 1, 2012. This legislation
amended State Education Law by creating a new Article 2 – Dignity
for All Students. The Dignity Act also amended a New York State
Education Law regarding instruction in civility, citizenship, and
character education by expanding the concepts of tolerance,
respect for others and dignity to include: an awareness and
sensitivity in the relations of people, including but not limited
to, different races, weights, national origins, ethnic groups,
religions, religious practices, mental or physical abilities,
sexual orientations, gender identity, and sexes.
Additionally, under The Dignity Act, schools will be responsible
for collecting and reporting data regarding material incidents of
discrimination and harassment. More information about The
Dignity Act can be found at www.arlingtonschools.org and at
www.p12.nysed.gov/dignityact/.
The Dignity for All Students Act
October is National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month
and to signify its importance, STOMP Out Bullying™ created
BLUE SHIRT DAY™ WORLD DAY OF BULLYING PREVENTION.
BLUE SHIRT DAY™ WORLD DAY OF BULLYING PREVENTION
Join us in this fourth annual grassroots effort. Someone you know
could be bullied. Someone you know might be a bully. Join us in
solidarity on Monday, October1st! Make a statement against
bullying and cyberbullying and STOMP Out Bullying™! Specifically
the first Monday of every October -- this year on Monday 10-1-12
we’re asking kids, teens and adults to participate in BLUE SHIRT
DAY™ WORLD DAY OF BULLYING PREVENTION by wearing a BLUE SHIRT in
solidarity to STOMP Out Bullying™.
Stomp Out Bullying
Pride in the Valley: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and
Queer/Questioning in the Hudson Valley, NY
Our region has proven to be a welcoming place for members of the
gay and lesbian community. This series of articles includes
profiles of local gay couples raising families, a look at the
LGBTQ Center in Kingston, and how a Poughkeepsie student helped
to form a gay-straight alliance at his school.
Arlington Middle School is mentioned at the end of the article!
June 6, 2012 article in Hudson Valley Magazine
Across the country, students and teachers are sharing stories,
joining together and taking action to create safe schools, free
from stereotypes, intolerance, and hate. They’re part of a
movement called Not In Our School (NIOS).
For more than a decade, Not In Our School has inspired students
of all ages to develop and share innovative ways to resist
bullying and promote an atmosphere of acceptance and inclusion.
The Not In Our School videos, activities and resources on our
website showcase the immense capacity, energy, and creativity of
young people who are creating new ways to make their schools safe
for everyone.
Not in Our School / Not in Our Town
Common Sense Media is dedicated to improving the lives of kids
and families by providing the trustworthy information, education,
and independent voice they need to thrive in a world of media and
technology.
We exist because our nation's children spend more time with media
and digital activities than they do with their families or in
school, which profoundly impacts their social, emotional, and
physical development . As a non-partisan, not-for-profit
organization, we provide trustworthy information and tools, as
well as an independent forum, so that families can have a choice
and a voice about the media they consume.
Common Sense
This website has a wealth of information on the topic of
bullying. The website has some material that you are free to
reproduce, as well as some interesting books and material that
can be purchased.
Barbara Coloroso, bullying prevention speaker
NO STICKS, NO STONES - NO DISSING
January 31 - February 4 is "No Name-Calling Week" and AMS will
participate with agencies and
organizations throughout Dutchess County by instituting
activities in school to discourage name
calling and bullying. Each morning AMS will hear a fact of the
day related to the effects of bullying
and a daily challenge that participants can choose to take to be
entered into a drawing.
No Name Calling Week Site
Ulster County Executive Mike Hein: Anti-Bullying Week
In efforts to promote No Name Calling Week in Ulster County (held
January 31-February 4, 2011) this
webcast targets bullying issues not only in the county, but
nationally as well. Here you will find
statistics, effects, prevention, and personal stories associated
with bullying.
January 31, 2011
Ulster County
Tips for parents from John Halligan.
Tips for Parents
For more information about John Halligan and his son Ryan's
story, please visit this site.
John Halligan's Website
September Washington Post article on bullying
A site for translating cyber slang.
Cyber slang
Links to a blog and podcast about bullying prevention in schools.
Whole child blog sponsored by Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)
Police and School Officials take on cyber-bullying in Nevada.
Las Vegas Sun article
Stepping up its commitment to reduce bullying in schools, the
U.S. Department of Education has launced a new Web site that
allows for an easy, more centralized and accessible location of
federal resources and data on bullying. The Federal Partners in
Bullying Prevention Steering Committee teamed with the
Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs to share the
information to help prevent and address bullying in communities.
(from NewsLeader v. 58, no. 1, Sept 2010)
U.S. Dept of Education Bullying Web Site
Another useful site devoted to ending bullying in schools
designed for kids.
Stop Bullying Site
OLWEUS Bullying Prevention Website
Reducing bullying article from e-school News
"Cyberbullying: How to Make it Stop" from Scholastic
Many LGBT youth can't picture what their lives might be like as
openly gay adults. They can't imagine a
future for themselves. So let's show them what our lives are
like, let's show them what the future may hold in
store for them.
Justin Aeberg. Billy Lucas. Cody Barker. Asher Brown. Seth Walsh.
Raymond Chase. Tyler Clementi. All the
names of American teenagers who in recent months have taken their
own lives after being bullied in school.
For too long, LGBT youth have been forced to struggle through
their formative years suffering from bullies in
their schools, churches and homes — and with no support system to
provide them any help.
Noted writer and media pundit Dan Savage founded the It Gets
Better Project in September 2010 as a
unique way for supporters everywhere to tell LGBT Youth that — it
gets better.
Closed-minded school administrators and parents may not let LGBT
adults talk directly to their children about
their futures, but we don’t have to get permission to tell kids
that life gets better. That’s why we’re compiling
a video archive to share the stories of people overcoming
bullying and finding happiness.
ItGetsBetterProject.com is a place where young people who are
gay, lesbian, bi, or trans can see with their
own eyes how love and happiness can be a reality in their future.
It’s a place where LGBT adults can share
the stories of their lives, and straight allies can add their
names in solidarity and help spread our message of
hope.
It Gets Better Project
Article on depression and teens.
Relational aggression is described as any behavior that is
intended to harm someone by damaging or manipulating
relationships with others (Crick & Grotpeter, 1995). Unlike
other types of bullying, relational aggression is not as overt,
or noticeable as physical aggression. However, the effects can
be long lasting.
Tips for Parents relating to "relational aggression"
WeStopHate is a charitable nonprofit program created to raise
teen-esteem through the power of online videos and social media.
We define "teen-esteem" as giving teenagers the confidence to
stand up for themselves while also accepting who they are and not
being afraid to show it! Our videos feature teens and WeStopHate
experts sharing their personal experiences about overcoming
insecurities and providing their confidence tips with the
WeStopHate community.
We Stop Hate site
New York Times article on cyber-bullying, December 4, 2010
Ostracism case study
With support from Orange County Systems of Care, Jewish Family
Service of Orange County has launched a new online bulletin
board - - for LGBTQ youth and allied youth, ages 13 to 21.
"BornThisWay2" provides a forum for young people to anonymously
discuss challenges that they face at home, in school, and in the
community regarding their sexual orientation or that of a friend
or relative.
Born This Way website