From: Nancy Silverrod <nsilverrod>
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 10:19:42 -0700

Books may temporarily comfort a victim of bullying, but they do nothing to solve a serious problem-a problem that often leads to death, particularly for young people who are gay or transgender, or perceived to be, either by suicide, or, worse, by murder, as recently happened to a fifteen-year-old eighth grader in Southern California.

 

A consistent anti-bullying curriculum, provided on a regular basis must be carried out in all schools, at every grade level, with immediate action by adults to enforce school policies. Parental participation and buy-in, as well as teaching children to feel empowered to speak out on their own behalf, or on the behalf of others is also essential. Such a curriculum could certainly include books and the discussion of them. In addition to the many books mentioned for children, there are a number of recent books for parents on "bully-proofing" their children.

 

Nancy Silverrod, Librarian

San Francisco Public Library

100 Larkin St.

San Francisco, CA 94102-4733

415-557-4417

nsilverrod at sfpl.org <mailto:nsilverrod at sfpl.org>

 

 

Books are the bees which carry the quickening pollen from one to another mind. -James Russell Lowell, poet, editor, and diplomat (1819-1891)

A closed mind is like a closed book: just a block of wood. -Chinese Proverb

 
Received on Tue 18 Mar 2008 12:19:42 PM CDT