Rosalind Wiseman

Photo by Stitch, flickr.com

Last week I had the opportunity to work for the second time with a great non-profit called On TASC in Youngstown, OH. They asked me to help teams of educators and students in their area create concrete bullying prevention projects for their schools. As usual, it was the students who were able to teach me a few great ideas — and one in particular that I wanted to share with you.

The students’ idea was to set up a phone number that students could send anonymous text messages to if they needed to report problems — like a bullying incident, a fight that was about to break out, or a sexual photograph that was being forwarded (sexting being the media’s issue du jour). The phone would be accessible only to a select group of administrators and counselors.

Of course this seems so obvious, but it’s a great idea for a couple of reasons. First, it’s quick, easy and can be done any time of day, not just when the counselors and deans are in their offices. Second, it allows schools to deal with problems in real time (not after the fact when the administrator can’t do anything about it). Plus, as the students from Ohio said, “We know when things are going down way, way earlier than the adults. Nothing surprises us.”

Finally, it addresses kids’ reluctance to share what they know for fear of being labeled a snitch. Since no one is going to see them walk into a counselor’s or administrator’s office, students will be more likely to give vital information to the adults who can help. The only way students’ identities would be known is if they made it known themselves, or if the adult who got the information leaked it (not impossible but, in my experience, very unlikely). Meanwhile, the adults get the information they need and the kids are contributing to making their schools safe.

My experience in Ohio is such a clear example that if you want to stop bullying in a school, go to the experts — the students!