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Gaga’s anti-bullying stance can help
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Celebrities like Lady Gaga can send a message to young people on important topics such as bullying, Alberti Center Director Amanda Nickerson says.
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UB faculty member Jonathan Katz says Jamey Rodemeyer was the victim of a hate crime. Read story.Lady Gaga and other celebrities commenting on bullying have the chance to teach young people about the horrors of bullying abuse—a power that makes it important they act responsibly, according to the director of UB’s Alberti Center for the Prevention of Bullying Abuse.
“Lady Gaga tweeting about the tragic suicide of Williamsville student Jamey Rodemeyer is going to reach a different audience than the White House’s summit on bullying,” says Amanda Nickerson, a licensed psychologist and an expert in school crisis prevention and intervention, with an emphasis on violence and bullying.
“Lady Gaga is going to speak to the youth,” says Nickerson. “Whatever she says is going to reach these young audiences. It’s up to her and other well-known people who others look up to to say responsible things.”
Nickerson, who heads the newly endowed center in UB’s Graduate School of Education with a mission of becoming a national and international resource for the latest research and advice on bullying, says the recent suicide of the suburban Buffalo teen is another example of a tragedy that might have been exacerbated by bullying behavior.
Rodemeyer posted a lyric from the Lady Gaga song “The Queen” on his Facebook page the night before he took his life. Since then, the popular female singer has tweeted on the youth’s death, including this message to her fans: “Jamey Rodemeyer, 14 years old, took his life because of bullying. Bullying must become illegal. It is a hate crime.”
Nickerson said New York State has a law that will take effect July 1, 2012, called “Dignity for All Students,” that prohibits harassment and intimidation in schools on a wide variety of issues, including sexual orientation, gender, race and weight. Many states already have laws against bullying.
“Hate crimes, discrimination, aggravated assault are already illegal,” Nickerson points out.
She offers these thoughts on frequently asked questions following the tragedy:
What is cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying is using technology (computers, cell phones and other electronic devices) to willfully harass, threaten, intimidate or otherwise inflict harm. Examples include sending hurtful text messages, spreading rumors, creating blogs or websites to make fun of others, or taking pictures and sending them to others.
How is it similar and different from other forms of bullying?
As with other forms of bullying, cyberbullying can have devastating outcomes, among them depression, anger, sadness and fear of going to school. It’s different because it can be anonymous, viral (spreads quickly) and potentially easier to be cruel, given the physical distance from the target and victim.
What can we do to tackle the problem?
Parents can model appropriate behavior in life and online about treating others with respect and dignity. They can educate children about responsible use of technology. They can supervise activities, such as having the computer in a common room, going on the Internet with their children, using filtering software and being aware of passwords and contacts.
Schools can cultivate a safe and respectful school environment. They can educate students about responsible use of technology and digital citizenship.
They also can maintain and enforce clear and consistent policies against bullying and harassment—including cyberbullying that occurs off campus and results in disruptions in learning. And they can inform students and parents of these rules.
Young people can identify a trusted adult, such as a parent, teacher or coach, to talk to about experiences with bullying and cyberbullying, either as the target or a witness. They can remember that having a cell phone, email and other accounts is a privilege and not a right. They can remember not to send online communications—pictures, texts, etc.—that they wouldn’t feel comfortable sharing with parent.
Reader Comments
Brian McAvoy says:
My solutions to bullying problems.
First is to having a bully box were students can anonymously report bullying that they either suffer or witness. This is important because many students are too afraid to tell authorities because they are afraid they will suffer more if the tell. Plus many bystanders do not wish to be get involved because they fear that they will be the bully's new target.
Second is to change the attitudes of staff and students about bully. Attitudes toward bullying are even bigger then the bullying itself. A lot of adults and teaches don't claiming it is just "Kids being Kids." Many students also think that it is cool to bully and that those who are bullied deserve to be.
Posted by Brian McAvoy, How to combat bullying., 09/29/11
Dr. Lawrence Shulman says:
In our State Education Department funded School Violence Prevention programs in the Buffalo School District, partnering with the Erie County Child and Family Services, it has become clear that interventions are needed on two levels. Direct work with students in the schools (e.g., groups on bullying prevention, bystander education) as well as direct intervention on the student's social media sites that are a platform for cyber-bullying behavior. Using innovative software (Discover Text) we are developing a project that, with informed consent, will directly connect in-school student behavioral interventions with interventions on a student's Facebook, Twitter, etc.
Posted by Dr. Lawrence Shulman, Emeritus Professor and Former Dean, UB School of Social work, 09/26/11