Ally Week!

Hey, Everyone! It's been quite some time, but today is the start of Ally Week. GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) began the initiative in 2005 and the concept has really caught on. With that in mind, here is a perfect example of how an ally can stand-up for someone who appears to be "different."

My Princess Boy is written by a mom whose son wants to dress up like a princess.

But, the story of how quickly his family adjusted - and, then what his school did to support - is the most moving part... Be an ALLY this week!

An Uphill Battle

On Tuesday, March 2 Teach For America hosted a panel discussion entitled, "Men of Color & Education: A Discussion on the Pursuit of Excellence." The conversation was centered around Black and Latino boys and the challenges they face in our school system. The star-studded panel included rapper Common, singer John Legend, former NBA player Eric Snow, Bronx Borough President Rueben Diaz, Jr., and professors Dr. Pedro Noguera and Dr. Marc Lamont Hill. The event was moderated by David C. Banks, founder and president of the Eagle Academy Foundation.

      

Each panelist brought something different to the table. Whether it was his experience as a teacher, father, mentor, researcher, musician, etc. each voice was unique. Dr. Noguera, Dr. Hill, and Mr. Diaz offered a number of eye-opening statistics including:

• Stuyvesant High School (one of the city's specialized high schools) accepted SIX Black boys this year.
• At Bronx High School of Science, only 5% of its students are actually from the Bronx.
• Last year, more money was spent on surveillance equipment for schools than for similar equipment in prisons.
• Indicators among 3rd and 4th grade Black and Latino boys (dropouts, suspensions, expulsions, failings) can forecast for state officials just how many prison spaces they will need when these boys are of age.

There were many more statistics and opinions offered, but these were particularly glaring. So, the question remained: What do we do? And, the answers came in many forms, offering different perspectives and solutions. We heard about eliminating failing schools, having one great teacher in every room, adding mentors, psychologists and social workers, scrapping No Child Left Behind as a failed program and starting over, holding our representatives responsible, increase parent involvement, and the list goes on.

These concepts have been debated - and, will continue to be debated - for quite some time. But, it was really moving to hear not only the pros and cons of making these changes, but also the passion with which these men wanted to see that change through. Some spoke more of institutional or systematic changes in government, others debated the efficacy of charter schools vs. public, and others spoke about the need to rejuvenate "the village" and love our kids better.

What was most clear is that there is no one answer. The problem needs to be addressed from all angles. Better teachers. Better schools. Better curriculum. Better policies. Question what privatizing prisons - i.e. making prisons profitable - means to those groups disproportionately populating them. Question why certain new schools are able to take kids from the same pool and make them succeed. Question everything... but, DO something.


Overall, the panel was a great success. If done in the future, they might wish to reduce the size of the panel as some voices overshadowed others, but there isn't too much else to change. And, definitely bring Mr. Banks back as moderator... Kudos to Jemina Bernard and all of the TFA team that made the event possible!

Highlight: During the audience open-mic portion, a 5th grader from Brooklyn stepped up to the mic and asked the panel, "We've been to the assemblies and heard all of the talks, but I still get bullied. How do we stop bullying in our schools?" (He received a huge applause for being the only audience member to be able to succinctly ask a question!) We've reached out to his principal immediately...

When Facebooking Goes Wrong...

As social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter continue to grow in popularity, more and more related issues are being unearthed: Are we losing human contact and face-to-face interaction? What is appropriate to reveal online? Are we spending too much time updating our statuses?

Schools are restricting access; businesses are researching candidates' online "brands" before hiring; sports teams are enacting rules about what, where, and when you can "social network." Apparently, even our government is cracking down on tweeting...

What is clear, is that there is very little that is clear. When are inappropriate times to use these social networking sites? When is regulation impinging on free speech? How much information is too much to share?

We are very interested to hear what your school or organization's policies are where social networking sites are concerned. Can students be held accountable - by the school - for what they post on these sites? Have you encountered incidents of student bullying or harassment through these sites, even if not on school time? Please feel free to add a comment here or shoot us an email: javaid@gp-bp.org

No matter what the policy, there is one rule we should all learn from this story: If you're going to break into someone's house, don't use their computer to check your Facebook account!

(Or, at least logout...)

Caught On Camera

It's crazy. Every time we turn around, there's a new harmful phenomenon grabbing our kids. The trend of posting fights between teens online is growing in popularity. It gained local attention recently, when a video of girls fighting in the Bronx made it to the news. But, it only takes a quick search to find hundreds and hundreds of similar videos.

The consistent dominance of professional wrestling (WWE) and the increasing popularity of ultimate fighting (UFC) should tell us that, as a society, we enjoy watching a fight. Whether we claim to see artistry in the battle, or whether we just like seeing someone get knocked out, something about a fight captures our attention.

But, bullying caught on camera? Then, posted for - what - bragging rights?? What's crazy is that some of these videos are not "meet me after school in the park" fights, but actual bullying and assault cases. And, if you search for anti-bullying videos on YouTube, you will find quite a few - many have been viewed thousands of times. But, search for a good old fight? The viewership these videos get is astounding - and almost instantaneous.

How do we combat this new trend? Kids have been fighting at lunch and after school - probably since school was created. But, the presence of camera phones and the internet add a new dimension to the fold. Now, there is fame to achieve. Now, there are global bragging rights to obtain. And, unfortunately, now there is one less bystander who might have been able to break up the fight . . . because he's holding the camera.

Many are asking questions of YouTube and other free video hosting sites: what is their role and responsibility, and what should their policies be? Schools are also asking questions - what is the reach of school rules? Can students be punished for off-campus fights? These are all worthy questions. But, we may not find solutions until we ask ourselves what kind of society we are that just can't get enough of watching these fights happen...

Ending on a more positive note, an anti-bullying campaign:

So, I'm Gay Now?

- This photo was taken in a toddler playground of a housing project in Brooklyn 

There are a number of problems with this scene. To start, the grammar is off - it should be "sees." And, where's the punctuation? (Who's teaching kids how to write derogatory hate messages these days??) The second problem is the placement - a baby and toddler playground? For whom is this written? And, the most glaring issue is . . . it makes no sense.

Phrases like, "That's so gay" or "You're gay" have simply become all too prevalent. The terms are thrown around without caution, often (as in this case) without an identifiable context. One would think that the overuse of these phrases would lessen their effect; would reduce the pain felt by those on the receiving end because the words are so commonplace.

The truth is that the language still hurts, as evidenced by the recent suicide deaths of young boys who were the victims of homophobic bullying. And, even a message like the one above - intended for no one and everyone - adds to the hurt.

In trying to figure out how to eliminate the language from our lexicon and how to rid ourselves of homophobic bullying, are we also thinking about how to lessen the hurt these words cause? While addressing the taunting, are we also empowering the taunted to get past the attacks?

If only it were as easy as simply seeing that being called gay is not an insult...

Take a Stand. Lend a Hand.

Stop Bullying Now!

That's the mantra headlining the government's anti-bullying campaign. The website is extremely accessible and kid-friendly (mostly ages 9-13, with information for anyone - including an Educator's Corner and a Family Corner). Kids will be able to relate to the stories and scenarios, which were contributed by the Expert Youth Panel, i.e. other kids. Encourage kids to take the "Do You Bully Others" quiz . . . Examples include:

• You and your friends have regularly kept one or more kids from hanging out or playing with you. 
  
• You've teased people in a mean way, calling them names, making fun of their appearance, or the way they talk or dress or act.
  

Congrats to the HRSA for creating a great resource for kids. Hopefully, kids will take away some tools for dealing with bullying...

Can't Focus With Her In The Room?

 

Seems that's the case for a lot of boys. And, one school in the Bronx is trying to address it. Not completely going the traditional route of a single-sexed school, PS 140 is attempting to solve some of its performance numbers by separating girls and boys for certain academic classes.  

The thought behind the experiment is simple: "some advocates believe that girls are more likely to participate in class when no boys are present — and that boys, particularly those from low-income families, tend to focus better without girls around." (NYTimes March 10, 2009)

The results? Arguable at best. PS 140 has seen results - especially where behavior is concerned. But, the jury is still out in other schools around the country on this topic.

One point that's hard to dispute, however, is that conversations about social issues? Body changes, bullying, hormones, feelings?? Those conversations are NEVER the same when we're all in the room...