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Initiative Takes on Bullying in SchoolsBullying called "national epidemic"Related Content
ANCHORAGE - Anchorage community leaders said it takes an army of people to battle bullying. It's being called a national epidemic and experts said no community is immune. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 160,000 kids stay home from school because they fear being bullied. Also, victims are up to 9 times more likely to attempt suicide than other non-victims. “It means respect,” said 12-year-old Elizabeth Pope. Her path at Champs Martial Arts Academy began 2 years ago. “I used to be one of those small kids sitting in the corner, hunched over, very quiet, but now with tae kwon do, I have been here so long if you just see me walking in a grocery store, you will see that I walk straight and keep the right posture,” said Pope. “I just have confidence.” But she wasn’t always this confident. “I was above average and people didn’t except that,” said Pope, who transferred to Holy Rosary Academy from Kincaid Elementary. “They would call me a nerd. So I decided to come to tae kwon do to learn how to defend myself.” Pope is just one of many kids who understand what it means to be bullied. The Midtown based non-profit Stone Soup Group (SSG) offers tips on how to battle bullying -- with an emphasis on helping children with disabilities. “They are just easier targets, children with disabilities, especially the more noticeable ones; they are just an easy target,” said Mandy Cleveland, a parent pavigator at SSG. “Or their peers might not know why they are different, they might just get a feeling that they are different and start bullying them because of that. “ According to SSG, children with disabilities are up to three times more likely to be bullied. They said bullies are everywhere. At Champ, instructors said it begins with developing one crucial asset. “Their tae kwon do training will help them to, in our program, help them to build a great confidence level,” said Master Sung Son Yu. “It’s because they are healthy, and strong, and have a positive, mental, winning attitude - yes I can.” It is a step-by-step process, that doesn’t always involve confrontation. “One, they need to learn how to stay out of trouble; two, they will learn how to walk away from a situation and how to talk their way out of a situation; three, they will learn to make a new smile so they can make a lot more friends rather than enemies,” said Yu. Pope said she has learned how to be strong mentally and physically, and hopes to help others win the fight against bullies too. According to the Cyberbullying Research Center, it's not just happening in the schoolyard. They said the battle is being waged online -- using sites like Facebook and Youtube. |
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BobD said on Wednesday, Oct 10 at 1:08 PM
Anyone found guilty of bullying should be expelled from school for the year. If they repeat , kick them out forever..Let them try living in ignorance..
103686265TedtheBear said on Wednesday, Oct 10 at 9:45 AM
Common nature of all bullies is that they are all natural cowards of some sort who picked on someone they understand to be weaker then they are. Being a military brat, I was often a "new kid" in school and often targeted to be bullied until I dealt with these guys in the language they understand. Then I was left alone to do my thing. This isn't something you can talked about or tell about. It human nature we are dealing with. Kids who are bullies are no more different then kids with red haired or hyperactive or suffering from fear of heights. Bullies are wired in such a way and chances are, they will be bullies as an adult. Bullying requires a pro-active stance and nothing more or nothing less will stop it. Ever think why kids with disability are picked on??
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