National Bullying Prevention Month (NBPM) is a month-long event to prevent childhood bullying and promote kindness, acceptance, and inclusion!
Historically, bullying has been viewed as “a childhood rite of passage” that “makes kids tougher,” but the reality has always been that bullying can leave devastating and long-term effects, such as a loss of self-esteem, increased anxiety and depression for those involved.
Children with disabilities are two to three times more likely to be bullied than their nondisabled peers, and because they are more likely to be socially isolated, they may not have built-in friend networks to support them if they are targeted. Children with intellectual and developmental disabilities may also have trouble understanding social cues and expectations, which can lead to isolation, exclusion and even bullying.
NBPM is a time to spotlight what students can do to help prevent bullying. We are fortunate to have a great resource in our community, Judy French from PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center. Contact her at judy.french@pacer.org for posters, programs and additional resources for all grade spans.
