Student group lobbies for bullying bill's approval
"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me."
But what about children who hurt themselves as a result of bullying?
Whitney Applebaum, an East Lansing senior, and her SWK 450: Social Welfare Policies and Services II course are standing up for bullied kids across the state, by pushing for the passage of Michigan Senate Bill 275.
The bill would require all Michigan schools to create and enforce policies about bullying during school hours, as well as bullying between students away from school grounds.
Applebaum said she suggested advocating for the bill because it was created as a result of a bullying incident in her hometown in which Matt Epling, an 8th grader, committed suicide after a group of high school seniors hazed him.
The boy's parents have been working to get a bill similar to 275 passed since his death in 2002, and Applebaum said her class has been in contact with Matt's parents.
Birch Run senior Brian Miller said a bill like 275 would benefit school districts, and middle school-aged children especially.
"Middle school is kind of a transition," Miller said. "I think they're really trying to figure out their own identity. Peer pressure is huge, peer approval is really big. So I think bullies being thrown into the mix, give them a tough time during that change."
Miller said this bill would ensure schools were taking the time to address bullying issues as well as raise awareness about the emotional and physical fallout bullying can cause.
Aside from physical confrontation and intimidation, Miller said bullying can inhibit a student's ability to perform in the classroom, since when the brain feels threatened, it shifts into survival mode until the threat is over.
The only way to combat an issue like that is to create a safe and bully-free environment for students, he said.
Scott Cooke, a Bloomfield Hills freshman, serves as the membership chair of the Council of Future Educators and agrees with Miller.
"If you feel comfortable in the setting where you're learning, you're going to learn a lot more and a lot more effectively," Cooke said.
Applebaum said bullying affects a lot of people, and as a result, everyone can get involved for this cause. She said her group plans to hold an event on campus promoting the bill, and she encourages students to write letters to Michigan's legislature in support of bill 275.
metro@cm-life.com
