Blue Anti-Bullying Teams

Dr. Michael Pilon is a good friend of mine and I am passing on a couple of messages he sent out recently concerning bullying in schools.  I hope readers will find this interesting and take action.

Thanks, 

Colin Hine

I had the honour of being selected to serve in Cyprus on the UN Peace Keeping Force early in my military career. UN Peace teams did not always succeed but in most cases they did help.

In the past few months a number of young teens have ended their lives as a result of cruel bullying. There is a lot of talk about sensitization against bullying, information etc. All fine and well but I feel a more grass roots approach is needed.

As a teen I was asked at school to help "Introduce and help" a new student. He used to commute from quite a distance with one of my great teachers. Looking back I realize he probably came to our school to avoid bullying where he lived. He was a quiet, non-athletic person who, in retrospect, I could see as a target. One time he was grabbed in a head lock by someone from another class. I don't recall this incident; but, my friend reminded me of it and how he was grateful to me for defending him. And that was 50 years ago.

Another teen incident involved a young man whom we would now call challenged. He was "adopted" by our church where he helped at mass and in general cleaning up. He was well loved by the congregation. I worked as a surveyor's assistant in Dorval. He came up to me one day and said, pointing to 4 or 5 boys. "Those people are making me nervous". I pulled a reverse psychology..instead of cornering them I went up and said . "Someone is picking on my friend Alex, I want you to find out who it is so I can talk to them." I was the Dorval football captain and well known among the teens. Later Alex told me the bullying had stopped.

My suggestion, which I will be forwarding to many venues, is to have schools appoint a group of students as a "Blue Anti-Bullying Team" The Blue referring the UN role in peacekeeping. I would suggest athletes, school council members, kids who seem to be "Popular" and so on. I would suggest giving them, instructions on why and how to deal with bullying, in a non-confrontational way. All "Blue Team" members could be given a light blue plastic bracelet to show their status. A hope might be to have this Team become something people would aim for and to be invited to join .  The Blue Teams could also be a conduit between the students and teachers who could intervene and offer help before it is too late.

I contacted Tim Horton's to explain this and perhaps have them sponsor Blue Wrist bands for "team members" . Lots of interest in media contacts so it may fly. I suspect school boards will prefer a study and meetings...sigh

Pass this on if interested as I feel it could work well. We have allbeen bullied and we have all at least teased someone..what has been done toprevent so far, this has not worked. Let's move on. Any ideas and links appreciated

Michael Pilon CD BSc DDS DDPH
http://www.drmichaelpilon.com/

I wrote most of you about my sorrow surrounding the suicide death of a local boy who was hounded to the point where he could no longer take it. I am working of a proposal to have volunteer and appointed students given the role of school yard voices when bullying is noticed.

As a former UN Peacekeeper I like what one school has in place. In Beamsville kids called "Peacekeepers" act as intermediaries in school yard problems. I have approached Tim Horton's to sponsor the Blue wrist bands .

The idea would be to have a calming presence; but not a passive one, to try to avoid bullying by pointing out how it is wrong. As an "elite" group their presence could go along way I feel.  So as of now I am working on 'PEACEKEEPERS"

The suicides and bullying can stop with proper intervention.  Pass on my e-mail to anyone who might make this happen :)

Michael Pilon CD BSc DDS DDPH