"I Was A Bully, But I Stopped...."

Broward County is no stranger to bullying.  Last school year Deerfield Beach Middle School held the spotlight in the most negative of circumstances.  Starting with Michael Brewer who was nearly burned to death, and several months later the brutal and savage beating of Josie Ratley.

As a community, a group of Broward County middle school students joined together with the help of State Farm, The Broward Sheriff's Office and The Humanity Project to publish two books targeted at combating bullying.

The Miami Herald reported one of the bullying books is about a privileged and selfish character Lucina who has everything she wants but degrades everyone who doesn't share her fortune. The other book is about Michael, who is dyslexic and of black and Asian heritage. He's influenced by his abusive father to bully others.

Students also worked on illustrations and cover art. The books will be used as part of The Humanity Project's innovative Anti-bullying Through the Arts program in Broward during the school year.

Congratulations to all these students and a special thanks to State Farm, Broward County Sheriff's Office and The Humanity Project for stepping up and reaching out to our kids - our future!

Learn more at the www.TheHumanityProject.com.

Sources: Miami Herald, The Humanity Project

Watch video and read more.

Sue Scheff: STOMP OUT BULLYING!

Love Our Children USA

The Issue of BullyingBullying is a problem that affects millions of students of all races and classes. 1 out of 4 kids is bullied and 42% of kids have been bullied while online. Child and teen Bullying and Cyberbullying are at an all-time high. Some kids are so tormented that suicide has become an alternative for them. It has everyone worried. Not just the kids on its receiving end, but the parents, teachers and others who may not understand how extreme bullying can get. Love Our Children USA is working aggressively to prevent these issues and to help the kids and teens affected by it.

Some feel that bullying is a normal right of passage in growing up. It isn’t!! There will always be conflicts between kids, but bullying is intentional cruelty, harassment, and emotional, physical and sometimes sexual abuse. This behavior can set the tone for a lifetime of intentional cruelty or worse. And the consequences to the victim can seriously affect them for the rest of their lives.

Read more: http://www.loveourchildrenusa.org/StompOutBullying/index.php

With the two recent suicides of 11 year old boys who were bullied at school, parents need to step up and take Action. Oprah had an insightful and tearful show this week with the mothers‘ of these two little boys and the father of another. Bullying has to stop! It used to be said that “words can never hurt you” but that is simply and horrifically not true. Words can hurt and they can hurt deeply and now potentially cause death.

Stop Bullying Now is a comprehensive website that can answer many of your questions and help you and your children. With sections for both kids and parents, it can help you with parenting tips and tips for kids that are being teased and bullied.