Van Nuys School to Host Anti-Bullying Conference

In the wake of the spate of LGBT youth suicides that garnered headlines last fall, the It Gets Better Project and other resources have raised awareness of this once under-discussed issue. Students, however, still continue to experience a staggering amount of bullying in school.

With that in mind; Sheri Werner organized "With Compassion and Safety For All: A Humanistic Approach To Bullying Prevention". The conference will provide parents and teachers with techniques for dealing with and stopping bullying.

It will take place at the Foundations School Community, which Werner founded and of which she is the principal, in Van Nuys on Thursday, March 24, from 9:30 a.m. to noon. It will feature a panel discussion with experts on bullying, a question and answer period, first-hand stories from parents and more.

"Frankly, our kids are not feeling safe at school, and something needs to be done about it," said Werner, discussing the need for the conference. "Bullying robs thousands of children of their right to learn in a physically and emotionally safe environment."

Guest speakers will include officer Rudy Perez, who has been with the Los Angeles Unified School District Police Department for nine years and is the executive director of the Los Angeles School Police Officers Association; Samantha Klein, an internet safety advocate with Cyber Education Consultants and Bethy Leonardi, an educator who advocates for equal education for all students with an emphasis on rights of LGBT young people.

The conference is also expected to cover a variety of topics. These will include the six most common types of bullying-emotional, physical, verbal, race-based, sexual and cyber-bullying; the underlying causes of bullying; how to recognize the signs a child has suffered bullying; how to help children work through the damage bullying can inflict and empower them to prevent further victimization and how parents and guardians can work with teachers and school officials to implement anti-bullying strategies.

"Bullying happens everywhere, even here," said Werner as she discussed the issue as it relates to her school and her efforts to provide a safe learning environment for her 80 students. "The difference is, we have the tools to combat it. If you address bullying from a preventative stance instead of putting a band-aid on the problem, you have happier students and less harassment overall."

Gay State Assembly member Tom Ammiano [D-San Francisco] introduced a bill known as "Seth's Law" earlier this month that would require schools to update anti-harassment and discrimination policies and disseminate education to staff and students on the harmful effects of bullying. The measure is named after 13-year-old Seth Walsh, who committed suicide in September after he was bullied. The American Civil Liberties Union, Equality California, the National Center for Lesbian Rights and the Gay-Straight Alliance Network have co-sponsored the bill.

The Van Nuys gathering also comes on the heels of the White House's anti-bullying conference on March 10.

"As parents and students, as teachers and members of the community, we can take steps-all of us-to help prevent bullying and create a climate in our schools in which all of our children can feel safe; a climate in which they all can feel like they belong," said President Obama.

Log onto www.foundationsschool.com for more information.