Jack Abrams STEM Celebrates Unity Day

Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School celebrated Unity Day this week, bringing the together the school community to support building an environment dedicated to bullying prevention.

Principal Donna Moro said students and staff “were happy to celebrate Unity Day,” which was observed in schools across the country.

“For years, our culture justified bullying with expressions such as, ‘Bullying is a natural part of childhood,’ ‘Some kids just deserve to be bullied’ or ‘Bullying is a rite of passage,’” stated the National Bullying Prevention Center. “The goal of Unity Day is to bring together youth, parents, educators, businesses, and community members across the nation to emphasize the message that bullying is not acceptable and that all students deserve to be safe in school, online, and in the community.

“This is a day dedicated to showing kindness, acceptance and inclusivity,” Ms. Moro said. “Staff and students were encouraged to wear Orange on Tuesday to show their support.  In addition, we reflected on unity during our morning message.  During lunch, students were given the opportunity to engage in creating a kindness chain.”

The National Bullying Prevention Center said that bullying directly affects students’ ability to learn. The Center for Disease Control said that students who are bullied are more likely to experience low self-esteem and isolation, perform poorly in school, have few friends in school, have a negative view of school, experience physical symptoms (such as headaches, stomachaches, or problems sleeping), and to experience mental health issues (such as depression, suicidal thoughts, and anxiety).

A CDC study completed in 2017 found that “youth who bully others are at increased risk for substance use, academic problems, and experiencing violence later in adolescence and adulthood. Youth who bully others and are bullied themselves suffer the most serious consequences and are at greater risk for mental health and behavioral problems.”

The National Bullying Prevention Center said that research has found that “since student bystanders can often intervene most effectively, it’s important for schools to encourage bystander intervention by teaching skills and offering resources that support this behavior. Schools should also seek to ensure that bystanders are protected and students know not to put themselves in danger.”

Ms. Moro stressed that “bullying is not a rite of passage, but a serious threat to student safety and well-being.”