Obama Administration Focuses on Bullying

[Guest guest]

Below find a press release from yesterday and a link to a Dear Colleague

letter from the Department of Education regarding bullying against all

persons, including people with disabilities. Also below please find a link

to the video recorded by President Obama on bullying as well as a blog by a

White House staffer.

WASHINGTON - Today, the Department of Education issued guidance to

support educators in combating bullying in schools by clarifying when

student bullying may violate federal education anti-discrimination laws. The

guidance issued today also makes clear that while current laws enforced by

the department do not protect against harassment based on religion or sexual

orientation, they do include protection against harassment of members of

religious groups based on shared ethnic characteristics as well as gender

and sexual harassment of gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgender

individuals.

The guidance, which comes in the form of a " Dear Colleague " letter

sent to schools, colleges and universities, explains educators' legal

obligations to protect students from student-on-student racial and national

origin harassment, sexual and gender-based harassment, and disability

harassment. The letter provides examples of harassment and illustrates how a

school should respond in each case.

The White House and Department of Education also announced next

steps to address bullying and harassment in schools. Early next year, the

White House will host a conference to raise awareness and equip young

people, parents, educators, coaches and other community leaders with tools

to prevent bullying and harassment. This conference will build upon efforts

led by the U.S. Department of Education and other federal agencies to spark

a dialogue on the ways in which communities can come together to prevent

bullying and harassment.

" We've got to dispel the myth that bullying is just a normal rite of

passage, or an inevitable part of growing up. It's not, " said President

Obama. " We have an obligation to ensure that our schools are safe for all

of our kids. Every single young person deserves the opportunity to learn and

grow and achieve their potential, without having to worry about the constant

threat of harassment. "

" Bullying is a problem that shouldn't exist. No one should ever

feel harassed or unsafe in a school simply because they act or think or

dress differently than others, " said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne

Duncan. " To every student who feels threatened or harassed -- for whatever

reason -- please know that you are not alone. Please know that there are

people why love you. And please know that we will protect you, " Duncan

continued.

" Students cannot learn if they feel threatened or harassed, " said

Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Russlynn Ali. " We want to keep

students safe and learning, and today's guidance will help us do that. "

Following the release of today's guidance, the Department plans to

hold technical assistance workshops around the country in early 2011 to help

educators better understand their obligations and the resources available to

take prompt and effective steps that will end harassment and bullying in

schools and on college campuses.

The guidance issued today is just one of several efforts in the

Department of Education's comprehensive approach to end bullying. In 2009,

the Department joined the Departments of Defense, Justice, Health and Human

Services, Agriculture, and the Interior to form the Obama Administrations

Inter-Agency Task Force on Bullying. In August of this year, the Obama

administration hosted the first ever National Bullying Summit and launched

both the Stop Bulling Now campaign and www.bullyinginfo.org

<http://www.bullyinginfo.org/> , a national database of effective

anti-bullying programs.

For more information about OCR and the anti-discrimination statutes

that it enforces, please visit

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/aboutocr.html. To review the

" Dear Colleague " letter, please visit:

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-201010.html.

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http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/10/21/president-obama-it-gets-better

President Obama: It Gets Better

Posted by Bond on October 21, 2010 at 11:30 PM EDT

Recently, several young people have taken their own lives after being

bullied for being gay - or perceived as being gay - by their peers. Their

deaths are shocking and heartbreaking tragedies. No one should have to

endure relentless harassment or tormenting. No one should ever feel so alone

or desperate that they feel have nowhere to turn. We each share a

responsibility to protect our young people. And we also have an obligation

to set an example of respect and kindness, regardless of our differences.

We all have a responsibility to protect all of our children. But we also

have an obligation to set an example of respect and kindness regardless of

our differences.

This is personal to me. When I was a young adult, I faced the jokes and

taunting that too many of our youth face today, and I considered suicide as

a way out. But I was fortunate. One of my co-workers recognized that I was

hurting, and I soon confided in her. She cared enough to push me to seek

help. She saved my life. I will always be grateful for her compassion and

support - the same compassion and support that so many kids need today.

In the wake of these terrible tragedies, thousands of Americans have come

together to share their stories of hope and encouragement for LGBT youth who

are struggling as part of the It Gets Better Project

<http://www.itgetsbetterproject.com/> . Their messages are simple: no

matter how difficult or hopeless life may seem when you're a young person

who's been tormented by your peers or feels like you don't fit in: life will

get better.

President Obama is committed to ending bullying, harassment and

discrimination in all its forms in our schools and communities. That's why

he recorded this message.

Last year, the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services joined

forces with four other departments to create a federal task force on

bullying. In August 2010, the task force staged the first-ever National

Bullying Summit, bringing together 150 top state, local, civic, and

corporate leaders to begin mapping out a national plan to end bullying.

The task force also launched a new website, www.bullyinginfo.org

<http://www.bullyinginfo.org/> <http://www.bullyinginfo.org/> , which

brings all the federal resources on bullying together in one place for the

first time ever.

If you're a young person who's been bullied or harassed by your peers, or

you're a parent or teacher who knows a young person being bullied or

harassed, here are a few resources that can help you:

The Trevor Project <http://www.thetrevorproject.org/>

The Trevor Project is determined to end suicide among LBGTQ youth by

providing resources and a nationwide, 24 hour hotline. If you are

considering suicide or need help, call: 866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386).

BullyingInfo.org

<http://www.findyouthinfo.gov/topic_bullying.shtml?utm_source=BullyingInfo.o

rg

<http://www.findyouthinfo.gov/topic_bullying.shtml?utm_source=BullyingInfo.o

rg & utm_medium=Redirect & utm_campaign=BullyingSummitt>

& utm_medium=Redirect & utm_campaign=BullyingSummitt>

BullyingInfo.org is a project of the Interagency Working Group on Youth

Programs (IWGYP) focused on providing tools and resources for youth,

parents, teachers and mental health providers to prevent and address

bullying.

It Gets Better Project <http://www.itgetsbetterproject.com/>

President Obama's video is just one of thousands of videos submitted by

people across the country to inspire and encourage LGBT youth who are

struggling. You can watch more videos at ItGetsBetterProject.com

<http://www.itgetsbetterproject.com/> .

For even more information and resources visit:

* Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)

<http://www.glsen.org/>

* Shepard Foundation <http://www.matthewshepard.org/>

* Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)

<http://community.pflag.org/>

A transcript of the President's video is here

<http://www.whitehouse.gov/it-gets-better-transcript> .

Bond is Deputy Director of the Office of Public Engagement

The White House . 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW . Washington DC 20500 .

202-456-1111

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