Title:  Bystanders Can Stop Bullying
Feed: CWKN #444, July 1, 2009
Time: 1:38
SUGGESTED LEAD: THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS WILL SOON ANNOUNCE ITS RECOMMENDATIONS TO STOP THE EPIDEMIC OF BULLYING IN AMERICAN SCHOOLS.  AMONG THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS… ENCOURAGE THE MILLIONS WHO WITNESS BULLYING TO STEP UP AND SAY… THAT’S ENOUGH!. MORE IN TODAY’S CONNECT WITH KIDS REPORT.
<<PKG>>

NATS: kids in play

NARR:  IT’S A MIDDLE SCHOOL PLAY ABOUT BULLYING … (:02)
 
NATS: kid in play: “Stop It!”

NARR: ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, 88 PERCENT OF TEENS HAVE WITNESSED BULLYING … AND EXPERTS SAY … THEY HAVE THE POWER TO STOP IT.  (:07)

SUPER: Stacey DeWitt, President, Connect with Kids (:17)
“We will not solve the bullying problem until we educate the silent witness. The biggest issue for bullying is the majority of children who watch it happen and let it go on.”

SUPER: Krystal, 13 years old (:29)
“It hurts. You feel like you’re alone, and that, like, no one is there to help you”.

NARR:  THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS IS ABOUT TO RELEASE THEIR NEW POLICY ABOUT WAYS TO STOP BULLYING...  AND HOW TO CHANGE THE CULTURE INSIDE SCHOOLS.

AMONG THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS… INCREASES TRAINING FOR TEACHERS … AND THE FORMATION OF ANTI-BULLYING GROUPS AMONG STUDENTS … (:16)

NATS:  counselor opens discussion (0:50)
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are here today to talk about bullying.”

NARR: THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT CHANGED THEIR CURRICULUM: NOW…AT LEAST ONCE A SEMESTER… IN EVERY ACADEMIC CLASS, THEY TALK ABOUT BULLYING AND WITNESSES …

AND… COURAGE. (:10)

SUPER: Bill Modzeleski, US Dept of Education (1:07)
“It’s wrong to say the victim has to have courage. It’s also the bystander that has to have courage.”

NARR: KIDS SAY … IT’S WORKING … THE CULTURE INSIDE THEIR SCHOOL HAS CHANGED … AND THEY HAVE TOO. (:06)

SUPER:  Delaney, 13 years old (1:18)
“If I see someone being bullied, I’m more likely now to stand up for the kid being bullied.”

SUPER: David, 18 years old (1:24)
We almost have to take it upon ourselves to take that risk to help people who truly need it.

SUPER: Kyle, 14 years old (1:31)
For them to just stand there and do nothing? That’s just not right.  Looks down)

SUGGESTED TAG:  EXPERTS SAY BULLIES OFTEN ATTACK KIDS WHO ARE ‘ODD’ OR DIFFERENT IN SOME WAY.  THEY MAY BE HEAVY… OR SMART… OR POOR… OR THEY MAY NOT WEAR THE ‘RIGHT’ CLOTHES.  PARENTS SHOULD STRESS TO THE BULLIED CHILD THAT IT’S NOT THEIR FAULT  .

Additional sound bite:

SUPER: Stacey DeWitt, President, Connect with Kids
“When the ones who actually witness the behavior begin to do something and begin to act differently, they will change the dynamic and change the culture… and it is when you change the culture that you can actually begin to impact bullying.”  :15