Barbara Latkowski
Caledonia Courier
E.R.A.S.E. Bullying stands for “expect respect and a safe education”. This is the anti-bullying strategy you can find on the Fort St. James Secondary School website.
Principal, Craig Houghton, says that bullying is a problem and that it’s such a loose term today because of the high amount of incidents and because there are so many different types of bullying.
“It’s all about education,” Houghton said. We try to educate everyone about bullying and what it is. We educate those who bully and those who have been bullied. We care about education first,” he said.
Every incident at the secondary school is taken seriously. Houghton says that their code of conduct is in place in these instances and police are called to intervene if necessary.
Various events also take place throughout the year to promote awareness about bullying including grade 8 retreat days, family days and a school youth worker is always on hand.
Houghton says that today, about 80% of incidents involve cyberbullying. “It seems to be the most difficult and the most harmful,” Houghton said. “And it does not just stay within our school, but it spreads from our students to other students from different schools as well,” he said.
“We need to know more about this and continue to educate everyone as much as we can,” Houghton said.
On Nov. 3rd, the Canadian Red Cross will be hosting a lasagna dinner for parents, children, teachers and community members.
The theme is, “Promoting Safe Relationships”. The training objectives include: understanding the dynamics of bullying understanding the guidelines to promoting healthy relationships and learning how to support children or youth who are experiencing bullying.
The event will be held in the old FSJSS gym at 6pm.
For more information regarding E.R.A.S.E. Bullying visit: fsjss.school.bcschoolweb.ca
Important Facts about Bullying:
*Punching, shoving, teasing, spreading bad rumours, keeping certain people out of a group, getting certain people to “gang-up” on others are all forms of bullying
*One in seven Canadian children aged 11 to 16 are victims of bullying
*25% of children in grades 4 to 6 have been bullied
*Bullying occurs once every 7 minutes on the playground and once every 25 minutes in the classroom
*In majority of cases, bullying stops within 10 seconds when peers intervene, or do not support the bullying behaviour
*Adults who were bullied as children are more likely to suffer from depression in adulthood.
*Between 10% and 15% of high school students are victims.
*11% of secondary students bully other youngsters at least once a year.
http://www.stopabully.ca/bullying-resources/bullying-statistics