Voices Against Cruelty, Voices Against Cruelty, Hatred and Intolerance - Hatred and Intolerance -

VACHIVACHI

A new club with a new attitude for A new club with a new attitude for _______ High School _______ High School

What is Vachi?What is Vachi?

VACHI is a club whose mission is to VACHI is a club whose mission is to educate students, teachers and educate students, teachers and parents about the consequences of parents about the consequences of hate motivated behavior with the hate motivated behavior with the hope of reducing/eliminating it from hope of reducing/eliminating it from the lives of ___________ High School the lives of ___________ High School Students. Students.

What is Hate Motivated What is Hate Motivated Behavior?Behavior?

Hate-Motivated behavior is any act Hate-Motivated behavior is any act or statement motivated by hostility or statement motivated by hostility towards a victim’s actual or towards a victim’s actual or perceived race, ethnicity, national perceived race, ethnicity, national origin, religious belief, age, disability, origin, religious belief, age, disability, or any other physical or cultural or any other physical or cultural characteristic… In other words:characteristic… In other words: BullyingBullying Harassment (verbal, sexual, physical)Harassment (verbal, sexual, physical) Name calling (taunting/teasing) Name calling (taunting/teasing)

The Scope of the ProblemThe Scope of the Problem

Bullying/harassment is widespread and Bullying/harassment is widespread and perhaps the most underreported safety perhaps the most underreported safety problem on American School campuses.problem on American School campuses.

US Department of Justice Office of Community Problem-Oriented Guides for Police, Problem Specific US Department of Justice Office of Community Problem-Oriented Guides for Police, Problem Specific Guides Series No. 12: Bullying in Schools, www.cops.usdoj.govGuides Series No. 12: Bullying in Schools, www.cops.usdoj.gov

The Under Reporting ProblemThe Under Reporting Problem

Most students do not report bullying and Most students do not report bullying and harassment to adults. As a result, harassment to adults. As a result, teachers may underestimate the extent of teachers may underestimate the extent of the problem in their school and may be the problem in their school and may be able to identify only a portion of the actual able to identify only a portion of the actual bullies. Studies also suggest that children bullies. Studies also suggest that children do not believe that most teachers do not believe that most teachers intervene when told about bullying and intervene when told about bullying and harassment.harassment.

DOJ Study, Note 11DOJ Study, Note 11

Why Not Ask for Help?Why Not Ask for Help? If the victims are as miserable as the If the victims are as miserable as the

research suggests, why don’t they appeal research suggests, why don’t they appeal for help? One reason may be that for help? One reason may be that “historically, adults’ responses have been “historically, adults’ responses have been so disappointing.” In a survey of American so disappointing.” In a survey of American middle and high school students, “66 middle and high school students, “66 percent of victims of bullying believed percent of victims of bullying believed school professionals responded poorly to school professionals responded poorly to the bullying/harassment problems that the bullying/harassment problems that they observed.they observed.

DOJ Study, note 12-13DOJ Study, note 12-13

Reasons for Non ReportingReasons for Non Reporting Fear of retaliationFear of retaliation Feeling shame at not being able to stand up for Feeling shame at not being able to stand up for

themselvesthemselves Fear that they would not be believedFear that they would not be believed Not wanting to worry their parentsNot wanting to worry their parents Having no confidence that anything would change Having no confidence that anything would change

as a resultas a result Things their parents’ or teacher’s advice would Things their parents’ or teacher’s advice would

make the problem worsemake the problem worse Fearing their teacher would tell the bully who told Fearing their teacher would tell the bully who told

on him or heron him or her Thinking it was worse to be thought of as a Thinking it was worse to be thought of as a

snitch.snitch.DOJ StudyDOJ Study

Student WitnessesStudent Witnesses

Student-witnesses appear to have a Student-witnesses appear to have a central role in creating opportunities for central role in creating opportunities for bullying and harassment. In a study of bullying and harassment. In a study of bullying in junior and senior high schools, bullying in junior and senior high schools, 88 percent of students reported having 88 percent of students reported having observed bullying. Studies suggest only observed bullying. Studies suggest only between 10 to 20 percent of non involved between 10 to 20 percent of non involved students provide any real help when students provide any real help when another student is victimized.another student is victimized.

DOJ Study, notes 14-16DOJ Study, notes 14-16

The ConsequencesThe Consequences

Victims of bullying and harassment suffer Victims of bullying and harassment suffer consequences beyond embarrassment. consequences beyond embarrassment. Some victims experience psychological Some victims experience psychological and/or physical distress, are frequently and/or physical distress, are frequently absent and cannot concentrate on absent and cannot concentrate on schoolwork. Research generally shows that schoolwork. Research generally shows that victims have low self-esteem, and their victims have low self-esteem, and their victimization can lead to depression that victimization can lead to depression that can last for years after the victimization. can last for years after the victimization.

DOJ Study, notes 49-50DOJ Study, notes 49-50

IN THIS YEAR OF IN THIS YEAR OF CHANGE, VACHI CHANGE, VACHI

WANTS TO MAKE A WANTS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCEDIFFERENCE

VACHI’s GoalsVACHI’s Goals We want to work with the Principal, Counselors We want to work with the Principal, Counselors

and Teachers on a comprehensive strategyand Teachers on a comprehensive strategy We want to conduct a survey to gather We want to conduct a survey to gather

information to share with students, parents, information to share with students, parents, teachers and the administrationteachers and the administration

We want to provide materials for teachers to help We want to provide materials for teachers to help spread the messagespread the message

We want to enlist students to be part of the We want to enlist students to be part of the solution and not part of the problem – to solution and not part of the problem – to understand that HATE HURTS and to stand up understand that HATE HURTS and to stand up against hate when they see it.against hate when they see it.

We want to promote tolerance with school wide We want to promote tolerance with school wide activitiesactivities

How Can You Help?How Can You Help?

Who Better to Teach than Who Better to Teach than Teachers!!!Teachers!!!

Ways You Can HelpWays You Can Help Post No-Hate Zone signs in each classPost No-Hate Zone signs in each class Remind students what a No Hate Zone means Remind students what a No Hate Zone means

by reading a message approved by the by reading a message approved by the principalprincipal

Help administer the survey after we write it Help administer the survey after we write it and get approval from the administrationand get approval from the administration

Help by keeping your eyes and ears open for Help by keeping your eyes and ears open for signs of hatesigns of hate

Model positive statements toward students Model positive statements toward students and intervene and refer against ANY digs and and intervene and refer against ANY digs and dissesdisses

Talk to students whose grades drop, seem to Talk to students whose grades drop, seem to be more withdrawn, or isolatedbe more withdrawn, or isolated

No Hate Zone – Approved No Hate Zone – Approved MessageMessage

As you can see, this classroom and eery classroom in this As you can see, this classroom and eery classroom in this school now has a No Hate Zone sign. All of ___________ High school now has a No Hate Zone sign. All of ___________ High School is a No Hate Zone. What that means is that there is zero School is a No Hate Zone. What that means is that there is zero tolerance for hate motivated behavior. Think about it this way: at tolerance for hate motivated behavior. Think about it this way: at this school and in this class, there is no harassment, this school and in this class, there is no harassment, discrimination, bullying, teasing, tormenting, or taunting. You discrimination, bullying, teasing, tormenting, or taunting. You may think tha tyour teasing or taunts are just in fun but they are may think tha tyour teasing or taunts are just in fun but they are prohibited at ________ High School. This applies in EVERY prohibited at ________ High School. This applies in EVERY classroom and EVERY place on this campus.classroom and EVERY place on this campus.

Students – if you see one of your peers violating this policy, be Students – if you see one of your peers violating this policy, be a frien. Tell your friend, “Hey, that not cool”. Stand up with the a frien. Tell your friend, “Hey, that not cool”. Stand up with the other guy or girl. Everyone should be able to come to school other guy or girl. Everyone should be able to come to school without being a victim of hate. If you see such behavior in this without being a victim of hate. If you see such behavior in this class, stand up and speak out against it. If you are a victim of class, stand up and speak out against it. If you are a victim of such behavior, know that you have a support system with me and such behavior, know that you have a support system with me and every teacher and staff member here. We intend to stop any such every teacher and staff member here. We intend to stop any such behavior in this school. Trust us. Tell us. We WILL help. behavior in this school. Trust us. Tell us. We WILL help.

Can We Count on Can We Count on You?You?