Screenshot from the film "Bully." Photo courtesy AP/The Weinstein Company
Welcome to our new Friday blog feature! “What We’re Reading” is a glimpse into blog posts, articles and other news items that the national office team is checking out every week to inform our work with students across America. Share what you’re reading in the comments section!
Education Week: Does it sound like there’s a disconnect? New research from the American Association of University Women reveals that 14 of the 20 largest school districts in the nation reported no incidences of bullying or harassment. “These reports of no sexual harassment and bullying happening in a school district are impossible to believe,” AAUW Executive Director Linda D. Hallman said. “It just does not sync with what we know to be the unfortunate reality for many school children in this nation.” Bullying may be under-reported and overlooked as a cause of academic failure. We encourage everyone to view the new documentary, Bully – and then get involved to ensure zero tolerance of this debilitating problem within their schools and communities.
GOOD: A student’s education should not have to end because he or she can’t afford college. But with college costs continuing to skyrocket and graduates facing crippling student debt, policymakers wonder: what can we do to make college free for anyone who can’t pay? Thankfully, some states, such as California and Michigan, are already taking the initiative and creating cost-effective ways for students to afford a post-secondary education.
Huffington Post: In his latest blog post, Communities In Schools President Dan Cardinali writes about current education reform policy and how it tends to neglect one major factor: the role of a caring adult in the lives of students. There is an expectation that teachers will fulfill this role, but teachers cannot go it alone; such expectations potentially set teachers and students up for failure. Relationships with caring adults, including mentors and Communities In Schools site coordinators, can help ensure that young people have what they need – both in and outside the classroom – to unleash their potential.
