Agenda Item
b. Proclamation: National Bullying Awareness Month
Summary: Presented by: Mrs. Vickie B. Turner, Board Member, District 5
Request: It is requested that the DeKalb Board of Education proclaim October 2024 as "Bullying Stops Here!" Awareness Month in the DeKalb County School District, in association with National Bullying Prevention Month.
Why: To ensure all DeKalb County School District stakeholders understand the importance of bullying, harassment, and hazing awareness in creating a safe, orderly, and positive school climate and culture.
Details: The DeKalb County School District, through its “Bullying Stops Here!” Awareness Campaign, is dedicated to creating safe and inclusive learning environments for our students by bringing awareness and to standing against student bullying, harassment, discrimination, and hazing in our schools, families, and in our neighborhoods.
Financial impact: None
Contact: Dr. Darnell Logan, Director, Department of Student Relations, Division of Wrap Around Services, 678-676-1811
Dr. Quentin Fretwell, Administrator, Department of Student Relations, Division of Wrap Around Services, 678-676-1811
Status: Approval by General Counsel is Not Required
OCTOBER 2024 – BULLYING STOPS HERE AWARENESS MONTH
DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT
PROCLAMATION STATEMENT
For as long as anyone of us can remember, bullying in schools has been a concern.
Research and study over time has now revealed to us that bullying can hinder
students’ ability to learn and can negatively impact their social-emotional well-
being.
Since 1999, the DeKalb County School District has had a policy addressing bullying
in schools. Moreover, with the change in the state law in 2010, DeKalb Schools not
only revised its policy, but also began what is now known as the “Bullying Stops
Here!” Awareness Campaign. This Campaign aligns with research that recommends
a comprehensive approach to bullying awareness, not just anti-bullying rules. In
DeKalb Schools, this comprehensive approach seeks to bring awareness to all
stakeholders through training, consistent/continual messaging, prescribing
procedures for addressing allegations, and follow-up and aftercare. This awareness
also includes not only general bullying, but companion misbehaviors such as
harassment, discrimination, and hazing.
In addition, the DeKalb County School District recognizes that bullying is not just a
school issue. Bullying happens throughout society and all of us must be aware of
this issue and teach our children by modeling appropriate behavior.
Now, for over a decade, the DeKalb County School District has demonstrated its
serious position on student bullying, harassment, discrimination, and hazing
through training, messaging, activities, and swift and effective procedures to
address allegations. Today, we take a moment to highlight these efforts by taking
this occasion to proclaim this month, October 2024, as “Bullying Stops Here!”
Awareness Month in the DeKalb County School District. We call on all stakeholders
to be “Upstanders, and not Bystanders” because bystanders just stand by, while
upstanders stand up. Let us all model appropriate behavior and talk with our
children. Remind them to be a “Buddy, not a Bully” and to “Be Nice”. Thank you so
much for your support of this important effort.