Bullying and cyberbullying are problems in most middle and high schools. And Marin schools are no exception.
The 2015-16 Marin County Civil Grand Jury (of which I was a member) looked into this problem and issued a report. Our investigation included interviewing school administrators and reviewing student and parent handbooks and school websites.
Overwhelmingly, school officials spoke of the need for more anti-bullying education for students, staff and parents.
You can read the grand jury report and the responses received from county school districts online at marincounty.org.
The responses to the grand jury report show that our schools do take bullying seriously. In response to the grand jury recommendations, many have updated their websites and handbooks to make bullying information and reporting procedures easier to find and understand.
Forms for filing complaints are now often online and accessible from the homepage of the schools’ websites.
Schools have reviewed their anti-bullying education programs, updating them and in some cases expanding them.
All of these are positive actions for helping to lessen the bullying problem in our schools.
Using art to get youth and their parents to recognize and speak out against bullying was recently employed in a program sponsored by Novato’s Blue Ribbon Coalition (“Art used to bring awareness to bullying,” IJ, Oct. 16).
What a terrific way to explore bullying situations and appropriate responses in a safe environment.
There are other organizations that work with Marin schools in creative ways to help lessen the bullying and cyberbullying problem. These are important programs that we should continue to support as a community.
October 21, 2016
Marin Independent Journal
Letter to the editor: Mary Dinday, San Rafael
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