RESOLUTION FOR BULLYING/CYBER BULLYING PREVENTION
Presented at the U. S. Forum Session
The Delta Kappa Gamma International Convention
July 07, 2016
Whereas, Bullying/Cyber Bullying in schools is an increasingly pervasive problem with statistics showing one in four U.S. students is bullied on a regular basis which negatively impacts the right of students to live and learn in a safe environment without fear and has negative lifelong consequences for those who are targets and for those who are bullies; and
Whereas, Bullying/Cyber bullying incidents have increased through use of social media (leading to 4,400 adolescent suicides per year), suicidal tendencies (for every death there are 100 attempts), and severe depression (14% of high schoolers consider suicide); and
Whereas, Bullying/Cyber Bullying U.S. statistics show 30 % of students report they are a bullying victim, a bully, or both with 43% of those students reporting they are bullied on line; and
Whereas, Bullying/Cyber Bullying others and being the target of bullies are considered risk factors for youth violence by the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and other relevant organizations; and
Whereas, Bullying/Cyber Bullying behavior that goes unchallenged creates a risk of bullies becoming violent adults, engaging in domestic violence and child abuse; and
Whereas, Bullying/Cyber Bullying behavior is a topic with which many parents are unaware of the severity of the problem and, therefore, neglect talking about it with their children; and
Whereas, Bullying/Cyber Bullying behavior is unchallenged by adults, as in 85% of bullying cases (statistics gathered from annual school reporting to state departments) no interventions or efforts to stop it are made and with some school personnel viewing bullying as a harmless rite of passage that is best ignored, opens the door for more harassment from bullies; and
Whereas, Bullying/Cyber Bullying has created a situation whereby 160,000 students nationwide miss school every day out of fear of bullies; and
Whereas, Bullying/Cyber Bullying attracts passive participants who are affected by hostile acts and in turn encourage bullying by creating an audience, become desensitized to cruelty, learn to imitate bullying behavior and become bullies themselves or may become fearful of their own safety, adding to feelings of insecurity; and
Whereas, Bullying/Cyber Bullying in the adult work place is prevalent and is often unreported creating a setting of fear which contributes to health issues, diminished performance, and loss of time for employer and employee; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the key women educator organization, The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, U.S. Forum members support a federal law with provisions for policies and programs that address the prevention, intervention, and elimination of bullying/cyber bullying;
Resolved, That the key women educator organization, The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, U.S Forum members promote messages of bullying/cyber bullying prevention utilizing educational literature, programs and projects for students, school personnel, and parents to establish an acceptance of zero tolerance for bullying behavior and a message that the bullying behavior will not be tolerated any time or any place;
Resolved, That the key women educator organization, The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, U.S. Forum members work with agencies, organizations, and legislators in a national effort to inform the general public about the risks and costs of bullying/cyber bullying for both the bully and the target, as well as those who witness bullying, to bring about a change in societal attitudes toward bullying and eliminate the suicides of those subjected to bullying.
Resolved, That the key women educator organization, The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, U.S. Forum members contact members of Congress to offer support and expertise to develop a national bullying/cyber bullying prevention law.
Contacts:
Carrie Frye (FL) – cfrye@att.net
Judy Fox Jackson (TN) – jfoxj2@gmail.com
Kathy Davis (OK) – kldavis52@gmail.com
Darlene Cook (OR) – kfteach@aol.com
Carmela DeMarco (NJ) – cardemarco@comcast.net
Whereas, Bullying/Cyber bullying incidents have increased through use of social media (leading to 4,400 adolescent suicides per year), suicidal tendencies (for every death there are 100 attempts), and severe depression (14% of high schoolers consider suicide); and
Whereas, Bullying/Cyber Bullying U.S. statistics show 30 % of students report they are a bullying victim, a bully, or both with 43% of those students reporting they are bullied on line; and
Whereas, Bullying/Cyber Bullying others and being the target of bullies are considered risk factors for youth violence by the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and other relevant organizations; and
Whereas, Bullying/Cyber Bullying behavior that goes unchallenged creates a risk of bullies becoming violent adults, engaging in domestic violence and child abuse; and
Whereas, Bullying/Cyber Bullying behavior is a topic with which many parents are unaware of the severity of the problem and, therefore, neglect talking about it with their children; and
Whereas, Bullying/Cyber Bullying behavior is unchallenged by adults, as in 85% of bullying cases (statistics gathered from annual school reporting to state departments) no interventions or efforts to stop it are made and with some school personnel viewing bullying as a harmless rite of passage that is best ignored, opens the door for more harassment from bullies; and
Whereas, Bullying/Cyber Bullying has created a situation whereby 160,000 students nationwide miss school every day out of fear of bullies; and
Whereas, Bullying/Cyber Bullying attracts passive participants who are affected by hostile acts and in turn encourage bullying by creating an audience, become desensitized to cruelty, learn to imitate bullying behavior and become bullies themselves or may become fearful of their own safety, adding to feelings of insecurity; and
Whereas, Bullying/Cyber Bullying in the adult work place is prevalent and is often unreported creating a setting of fear which contributes to health issues, diminished performance, and loss of time for employer and employee; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the key women educator organization, The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, U.S. Forum members support a federal law with provisions for policies and programs that address the prevention, intervention, and elimination of bullying/cyber bullying;
Resolved, That the key women educator organization, The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, U.S Forum members promote messages of bullying/cyber bullying prevention utilizing educational literature, programs and projects for students, school personnel, and parents to establish an acceptance of zero tolerance for bullying behavior and a message that the bullying behavior will not be tolerated any time or any place;
Resolved, That the key women educator organization, The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, U.S. Forum members work with agencies, organizations, and legislators in a national effort to inform the general public about the risks and costs of bullying/cyber bullying for both the bully and the target, as well as those who witness bullying, to bring about a change in societal attitudes toward bullying and eliminate the suicides of those subjected to bullying.
Resolved, That the key women educator organization, The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, U.S. Forum members contact members of Congress to offer support and expertise to develop a national bullying/cyber bullying prevention law.
Contacts:
Carrie Frye (FL) – cfrye@att.net
Judy Fox Jackson (TN) – jfoxj2@gmail.com
Kathy Davis (OK) – kldavis52@gmail.com
Darlene Cook (OR) – kfteach@aol.com
Carmela DeMarco (NJ) – cardemarco@comcast.net
Updated: July 2016
