Working to combat bullying in the Oceanside School District

To combat bullying in the Oceanside School District, Julia Nappi’s government class at Oceanside High School is working at full force on some incredible projects. As a student in this class, I’m a direct witness to the amazing breakthroughs that have been going on in this classroom as well as outside of its walls.

Inspired by Anderson Cooper’s special report, Stop Bullying: Speak Up, which talked in part about the bullying situation in another Long Island high school, our class decided it was time to take the initiative against bullying within our own school district.

We watched clips from the Anderson Cooper special and learned about the “Dignity for All Students Act.” This act, effective July 2012, was created to prevent the discrimination and harassment of students. Along with many other schools statewide, Oceanside High School will implement new policies in accordance with the act. Dr. Karen Siris, principal of elementary school 9E, took the time out to give our class a presentation about the new legislation and counter-bullying efforts within her school.

In the past few weeks, our class has been given the chance to apply our newfound knowledge, along with personal experiences, to assorted projects. Some students worked on PowerPoint presentations, and others interviewed people involved in bullying from a variety of angles. Another classmate and I chose to write sample policies we think should be incorporated in the upcoming school year in accordance with the new NYS bullying laws. “I know that the students are connecting to these projects on a very personal level,” Mrs. Nappi said.

On Nov. 9, our class visited students at Schools 2, 5, and 9M to share presentations on bullying. In response to our presentations, School 5 teacher Ms. Kristin Stea said, “This was a great presentation for 4th graders. It taught them how to be an up-stander and how to handle different bullying situations. The students loved their visit by the high school seniors!” One of my peers, Nick Palmiatto, believes that just our presence, as a diverse group of teenagers so enthused about and united over our mission, is really what impacted the group of younger students.

In my opinion, projects and lessons similar to the ones in my government class need to be incorporated in curricula across all grade levels. The way our class developed, dialogued and constructively criticized each other’s projects is a testament to how we’ve each been impacted personally by what we’re doing. The discussions we have had, although heated at times, were crucial in creating the environment of mutual respect that our class now flourishes in. “My favorite part of the class is the freedom to discuss whatever is on our minds,” said student Brandon Cohen.

I think that if every student could participate in an age-appropriate experience that would lead them to the same understanding of empathy and care that I’ve developed over the past few weeks, bullying problems could be lessened drastically. With “Dignity for All Students” being enacted so soon, it is up to the district and community alike to make sure no students fear being harassed at school. It is a humbling experience for me to work with Mrs. Nappi, who is so motivated to eradicate bullying and create a safe school environment for all students. I’m so proud to be part of such a worthy cause. I agree wholeheartedly with Mrs. Nappi when she tells me, “I will never ever forget this class.”