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Nationally renowned bullying expert to host forum at Longmeadow High

Date: 4/11/2011

April 11, 2011

By Chris Maza

Reminder Assistant Editor

LONGMEADOW — The Longmeadow School District will host an information session on bullying and cyber-bullying, featuring Dr. Elizabeth Englander, a nationally recognized authority on the subject.

Englander, a professor of psychology at Bridgewater State University, as well as the founder and director of the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center, will talk to parents about the growing issue of bullying in the Longmeadow High School auditorium on April 26 at 7 p.m.

"Elizabeth Englander has spent a great deal of time researching the subject and has developed a program whose purpose is to stop bullying. She also provides materials to school districts for use in the classroom," Longmeadow Superintendent Marie Doyle said. "Given the recent need to address the issue of bullying, she has become an integral speaker on the subject."

Longmeadow already has an existing relationship with Englander.

"Some of her materials have been integrated into our classrooms," Doyle said. "She also spoke to the staff on our opening day."

Doyle said the information session is an important step in preventing bullying because parents need to know what to look for when it comes to warning signs at home.

"There are clear warning signs that parents need to be aware of," Doyle said, citing disinterest in going to school or after school activities and depression as two of the greater outward warning signs.

In addition to knowing what to look for, parents will learn techniques on how to talk to their children should they become aware of a problem.

"Some students want to talk about it. It's important for parents not to dismiss what they are saying," Doyle said.

Listening is a vital part of the process not only when it comes to a student being bullied, but also those witnessing the bullying.

"We have to continue to learn how to allow students to have a voice and speak up for those who are getting bullied," Doyle said.

She added that she feels Longmeadow has done a good job making sure its staff is equipped to handle these situations. A recent survey, she said, showed that 98 percent of students at Longmeadow High School felt "connected to" a member of the staff.

"When surveys like this are done in other communities, that number is significantly lower," Doyle said. "The staff is doing a great job reaching out and [taking] steps like this [to] prevent bullying."

With the rapid increase in the use of technology by children, it is also critical for parents to know the risks associated with cyber-bullying.

"Bullying is no longer an issue that is confined to the playground or the hallways," Doyle said. "We've seen a dramatic increase in issues involving texts, e-mails, Facebook and the like."

Doyle said there is a fine line between protecting students and infringing upon free speech, but said there is a distinct difference and schools have the ability to take action if they feel there is a situation where bullying is taking place.

"Schools get involved when it spills over into the school. This type of bullying really impacts the students in a significant way," Doyle said. "Within schools, the bar on expectations is set higher than it is in the general community. We have the right to limit what the student can say or do."

Cyber-bullying has also let to problems from district to district, Doyle said, and the powers that be are looking at ways to quell that.

"There was in incident in another district where kids were on Facebook bragging about hurting a student from another district," Doyle said. "Bullying is becoming more widespread even beyond the local community."



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