Yay, the letter I sent in to the New York Times was today's lead letter! I couldn't be more excited and proud. If you haven't seen it yet, here it is:
To the Editor
Re: There's Only One Way to Stop a Bully” by Susan Engel and Marlene Sandstrom
(Op-Ed, July 23, 2010)
I can't agree more that schools must teach kids "how to be good to one another, how to cooperate, how to defend someone who is being picked on, and how to stand up for what is right." These things need to be taught in homes too.
In a national survey I conducted on bullying and conflict, 73% of the students surveyed said peers are somewhat or very mean to each other. Bullying and other mean behaviors will only decrease when we model, teach, and expect the opposite. By assiduously fostering empathy, conscience, and kindness, along with teaching kids how to work out conflicts and stand up for those who are bullied, we can reverse the trend of youth cruelty and set the foundation for a healthy future for all kids.
The time to begin is now.
Naomi Drew
author of No Kidding About Bullying
What Do You Think?
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Great response, Naomi. It deserves to be the lead! teaching kindness has to be a partnership between schools and parents. Too bad there is often a disconnect in communication between the two. It should be a team effort.
ReplyDeleteNaomi,
ReplyDeleteYour blog looks wonderful and will definitely be a resource to teachers, administrators and families. Congratulations on the New York Times piece! It is all about a healthy future - you could not be more right. Thank you for being in the forefront fighting for this - Keep up the fabulous work! I can't wait to read this new book - I loved your other books! Luci
Thanks for bringing awareness of this problem to more of the public, and especially thanks for addressing how to deal with it in such a positive way. We enjoyed seeing your letter at the top of that page in the NY Times.
ReplyDeleteYour new book is so timely! You should be on Dr. Phil!
ReplyDeleteToby Israel