Back-to-School, Safely
A recent back-to-school anecdote on Facebook shared by a mom about her 5th-grader probably made many readers gasp a little.
“I was buying Maisy school shoes and she told me she didn’t want a pair of light-up shoes. She said, ‘What if there’s a lockdown drill or school shooter? Light-up shoes would make me stand out.’”
Oh, no – No child should be afraid of being harmed at school! Kids should be cared for, treasured even – not feel vulnerable to fights, bullying, violence, danger.
Something CAN be done.
OK, it’s tempting to go down the rabbit hole of worry and despair thinking about how we got here, how is this possible, how nowhere is safe… and down and down. But that will not change anything. And something MUST be done to restore safety and harmony in our communities, including and maybe especially in our schools. For our kids, and our future.
Better to ask and demand, what good thing can be done to help our kids feel safe? Is there anything I can do in my own community, in my kids’ school?
Choose good: Act.
Moms, Dads, Friends – it’s all-hands-on-deck time. Whatever you have to give will be just what is needed today.
Check with your schools and other kid-focused community groups. What programs are they offering to reduce fear, and what support can you give? Perhaps the schools haven’t got resources available and you and your neighbors could be the necessary spark to get something started. Good ideas and commitment ALWAYS win the day!
To be inspired, here’s a hugely respected and effective non-profit organization offering community-wide and in-school programs making a big difference in reducing fear and fostering safety.
OC Human Relations in Southern California
Orange County Human Relations (OC Human Relations) provides several training programs to eliminate prejudice, intolerance and discrimination – the atmosphere that leads to anger, hate and violence – for the betterment of the entire community. While this organization is focused on Orange County, there are proven ideas that can be shared with any community.
Here are two programs that would welcome your support, one addressing the entire county (it’s a big county!) and one directed to the local middle and high schools.
#HateFreeOC
Everyone deserves to live in a safe place where they feel respected for who they are. This is a public education and awareness campaign designed to do the following:
- Cultivate a hate-free environment in the entire county
- Bring diverse communities together
- Promote a peaceful and inclusive community where everyone can thrive
Bridges Program for Safe and Respectful Schools
This program works with schools to build middle and high school campus environments that are respectful of diversity where students, staff and parents feel safe and welcome. BRIDGES: School Inter-Group Relations and Violence Prevention Program is a multi-year program offering conferences, workshops, camps and internships across the county. In 2018/2019 school year, almost 20 middle and high schools participated in the program.
Check out this “school-safety buddy”!
Blake Rajahn knows that kids get bullied. He also knows that when they have a friend, it helps. He wants to be that friend. Blake just started first grade.
Just before school started, Blake asked his mom, “Will you please make me a shirt that says ‘I will be your friend’ for all the kids who need a friend to know that I am here for them?” When his mom shared a picture of Blake in his new custom shirt, she told her friends: “Never underestimate your kid’s heart for others!”
Let’s all be like Blake.
For more about Blake and his good deeds, go here
