Written by
Beth Farrah, SMT Writer
Poplar Bluff, Missouri - Anti-bullying awareness has been raised in schools across the country within the last couple of years due to the many forms of bullying that have been witnessed within the time period. At most public schools, if a person feels they have been targeted or victimized by another person or student, they are able to fill out a “bullying form” and give it to the office or a staff member so that it will be filed or looked into so that the progression of the situation can be stopped before allowing it to get out of hand.
October is the National Anti-Bullying Awareness month, but Poplar Bluff is hosting Anti-Bullying week at their school starting next Monday on March 25th. There will be many assemblies at both the Junior High and High School led by one of the stars of the critically acclaimed documentary “Bully”, and a leader of the Stand for the Silent movement taking place at schools across the country.
The “Human Heroes” chapter of the national student-led organization was established at the junior and senior high at the beginning of this school year. Back in February, the Human Heroes chapter participated in Stand for the Silent and their efforts have been greatly recognized and will be seen in the upcoming documentary called “The Bully Effect”.
Although it is a short week for the Poplar Bluff School District, they will be participating in many events and assemblies and will be warmly welcoming their guest speaker, Kirk Smalley, and other students from Twin Rivers High School and Junior High, who are excited to join Poplar Bluff and their Anti-Bullying Week.
Next week’s guest speaker, Smalley, is from Oklahoma and began speaking to schools and students back in 2010, when his eleven year old son committed suicide because of bullying. Smalley will be speaking to both the Twin Rivers and Poplar Bluff high schools at 7:30 and 9:00am in the high school gymnasium on March 28th. He will also be speaking a second time to the junior high students at 11:30am and 1:00pm in the junior high gymnasium on the same day.
Mayor Ed DeGaris will also be attending the assembly, along with the four hundred total students, and will issue a proclamation on the city’s behalf. The proclamation will be presented to the student presidents of the Speak for the Silent chapters at 9:30am on Monday, March 25th.
