Schools unite to fight bullying

By NATE HUBBARD/Staff

The two factions stared each other down, with just a sliver of ground between them.
Waiting on one side was a throng of more than 350 people. The group’s impressive size was soon to be matched as an equally large multitude joined the scene and locked eyes with their counterparts.
A murmur floated from person to person and as the gathering grew and grew, the sound turned into a roar.
Suddenly, though, all noise ceased and a quiet fell over the group. Seven hundred heads made a quarter turn and all eyes were now on a lone speaker.
The man strode to the podium, placed between these rival groups, and with 10 simple words set the tone for the afternoon.
“We’re here together,” he said. “We’re here together as one unified group.”
And with that statement from Sid Crockett, principal at Scott Memorial Middle School, the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program Kick-Off had begun.
Fort Chiswell Middle School and Scott Memorial came together Friday afternoon, not as rival schools, but as partners in the struggle against bullies.
The usual adversaries in school competitions didn’t engage in a scuffle. Instead the students from the schools made a visible statement of their commitment to reduce bullying in schools by joining together in an anti-bullying chain.
Three students from each homeroom at each school stood up around the perimeter of Spiller Elementary School’s gymnasium (the afternoon rain forced the event indoors from Withers Park) and linked together alternating Scott maroon and Fort Chiswell gold paper chains.
Judy Willis, guidance counselor at Scott, said the two middle schools were selected to institute the anti-bullying pilot program for Wythe County by School Board administration.
She said Rural Retreat Middle School and the county’s elementary schools also eventually will join the anti-bullying effort.
The internationally used program actually began in Norway in 1983. Willis said the curriculum emphasizes building positive relationships between peers and also between students and teachers, school staff and the community.
“The program is about changing attitudes,” she said. “It helps build relationships hopefully to deter from bullying.”
Faculty and staff were trained earlier in the year on the program materials and both schools also recently held parent training sessions.
Friday’s event featured two speakers who made the students aware of the seriousness of the bullying issue.
Jeff Bellamy, field development coordinator of Rock of Ages prison ministry based out of Tennessee, told the middle school students about some common characteristics of bullies.
He said the first warning sign that someone might be a bully is when a person acts self-centered.
“Today you’re making a statement,” he told the crowd. “You’re making a statement that those around you are important.”
Wythe County Sheriff Doug King followed Bellamy at the microphone and made it clear that he and the community don’t tolerate mean-spirited people.
“This isn’t a new problem,” he said, before proving his point by having all the adults in attendance who had experienced bullying raise their hands, causing a flurry of arms to shoot up. “The new thing is we’re going to do something about it. It’s called zero-tolerance. We’re going after bullies.”
Willis said the kick-off event let the students know that the program is in full effect. As part of the new anti-bullying effort, students already have begun weekly classroom meetings. However, Willis said that up until now, the consequences for students breaking bullying rules had been more loosely enforced.
According to Scott’s Web site, the school has implemented a five-step process of consequences for bullying. A first offense equals a verbal reprimand and a call home, and then subsequent bullying actions lead to a call home plus a lunch detention, a longer lunch detention, an in-school suspension and finally an out-of-school suspension.
Willis gave a broad definition for what the school considers bullying with physical violence, verbal insults and even threatening gestures included. She added, though, that it is important to remember that sometimes fights can be inappropriate and against school rules without necessarily being considered bullying.
Each school sets its own specific consequences for those found to be bullies. Willis said the bullying rules do not replace other school rules against fighting, so someone who throws a punch in a bullying action will have a harsher punishment than just a verbal reprimand and a call home, even if it is his or her first offense.
King even told the students that if the school system needed help with a bully, he and his law enforcement officers would be more than happy to take care of the situation.
“How many of you would like to be involved with me in a bad way?” King asked the students. “If you’re a bully, all I can say is watch out because we’re coming after you.”
Although the sheriff threatened tough action, he told the students that what he really is concerned about is the well-being of the Wythe County community. He said that one day the students will be the new leaders of the area and that he wants his home to be in good hands.
“You’re going to be my leader,” King said. “And I want good leaders.”
Although the message of the day was unity, a little school spirit still added excitement to the festivities.
Fort Chiswell cheerleaders engaged the crowd with a Pioneers cheer before encouraging students with a “Block it, stop it, put bullying aside. Block it, stop it, Pioneer pride!” chant.
Scott cheerleaders got their students equally energized by having their side of the gym make noise on cue when they told everyone who wants to be bully free to “stand up and scream.”
In addition to the anti-bullying chain created at the event, the students made another visible sign of their commitment to togetherness by all donning T-shirts with the slogan “Bullying is contagious…don’t spread the germ.”
When the students put on the shirts and the previously clashing colors of their clothing melded into a sea of white, bullies didn’t seem to stand a chance against the united group of more than 700 strong.
“We are making history today,” Willis said. “Two schools for a common purpose, a common cause.”
Nate Hubbard can be reached at 228-6611 or .