Bullying continues to be a prevalent issue in schools. When speaking on bullying, Kirk Smalley, founder of Stand for the Silent, said, “It’s time … it’s time to make it stop.” Reaching more than 4.15 million students across nearly 6,025 schools, Stand for the Silent has quickly become one of the leading and most effective anti-bullying organizations in the country. Their mission is simple – bring awareness to bullying and the devastation it causes.
Combatting bullying in schools starts with the students, who have the power to speak up and make a difference for their friends, teachers, and school. Students can start being heroes today with these four steps:
1. Educate yourself and your peers.
Even when they tell a trusted adult about bullying, Stand for the Silent found that students believe things only get better about 18% of the time. However, thousands of past incidents and tragedies have shown that school administrators can’t prevent bullying if they don’t know about it.
Stopping bullying and preventing tragedies takes a team effort. Students, teachers, parents, community members, and social media users need to be equipped with the right information and tools to spread awareness and stop bullies in their tracks.
Taking a stand and maintaining open communication with trusted adults can prevent bullying and help your peers.
2. Practice empathetic awareness.
When bullying occurs, you may be tempted to turn the other way, but you have the power to intervene. Don’t just sit back when you notice something—become part of a culture of caring. Step back and strive to understand other people’s emotions and perspectives, as well as how they may respond to certain situations. Stand for the Silent teaches us that the fear of getting involved is temporary, but your regret for not making a stand is permanent.
3. Pledge to be the change.
Show your commitment to stopping bullying by taking the Stand for the Silent pledge: “From this day forward, I promise to respect those around me as well as respect myself. I am somebody, and I can make a difference. I can make another feel loved. I can be the helping hand that leads others back to the path of hope and aspiration. I will not stand silent as others try to spread hatred through my community. Instead, I pledge to lift up those victims and show them their lives matter. I will be the change because I am somebody!”
4. Start your own SFTS chapter.
Did you know you can start a Stand for the Silent chapter at your school? With a dedicated SFTS chapter, you can increase awareness and create a team dedicated to stopping bullying. To create a chapter, you will need to have all members sign a pledge card, find an adult sponsor, vote to appoint officers, create a name and mission, and determine a meeting location and meeting times. For more information on how to get your chapter started, follow this step-by-step guide.
AAO Stands for the Silent, Do You?
The bottom line is that you have the power to make a difference. By standing against bullies and supporting your fellow students, you can create real change in your school and positively impact the lives of your peers.
Stand for the Silent runs solely off donations from those who support its mission. With your donation, you can help them reach 100,000 more kids. You can also sponsor a Stand for the Silent presentation at a school in your area. The engaging and factual presentation brings awareness to the harmful effects of bullying, and since 2010, Kirk and Laura Smalley have presented at more than 6,025 schools.
For National Bullying Prevention Month, the AAO challenges its member orthodontists to come together in the fight against bullying. Orthodontists worldwide are pledging to stand for the silent and encouraging their patients to do the same.
Together, we can make things right. Together, we can stop bullying.
