The U. S. Department of Education Gets It.

Bullying • Tags:

There are several articles on bullying in the news today.  The one that really caught my eye and made me shout hooray is the one about the Department of Education .

They finally get what I’ve been saying all along.  We have laws already that if enforced would protect most of the people who are victims of bullying.  I sent an e-mail to Lee Hirsch last month after seeing ABC’s  “Bullied to Death,” asking him why there was no mention of prosecution in the case where the girl was assaulted in front of her home, or in the case of the You Tube video created by little girls telling ways to kill another little girl.  I also pointed out that the seventeen year old in Georgia who committed suicide after repeated bullying should have been protected under the ADA.

Finally, the U. S. Department of Education gets that at least some incidents of bullying should still fall under current laws, as according to the link below they are “reminding schools that some incidents could violate more than a local code of conduct.”  They are reported to have sent a letter from the Office of Civil Rights indicating specific cases would rise to the level of discriminatory harassment.  They noted protections against discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin, sex, age, disability in programs or activities that receive federal financial aid.

They also note that if a school limits its response to specific application of its anti-bullying disciplinary policy, the school may fail to properly address discriminatory harassment.  I say it is about time that someone realized this.  Now if we could just educate parents, maybe they’ll actually teach their children that their actions can have dire consequences.  Lets hope some of them actually are reading the latest news.

As I said before, involving the law would be my last resort if either of my children are ever bullied again.  I really want children to avoid prosecution, but until parents actually get back to teaching tolerance and kindness, I’m afraid it may be the only way to get through to some of our youth.  Parents please educate your children.  I don’t want a child to die or to go to jail.  Those of us trying to make changes just want you to get it, so we can all forgive and move on with our lives.

My Gratitude List as U.S.A. Celebrates Thanksgiving

Animals, Gratitude • Tags: ,

A few years ago we started a family tradition for Thanksgiving in our house. We all go around the table and tell each other what makes us thankful. I can’t remember where we got the idea, but I believe it was from a movie. I really love the tradition even if it’s origins are corny. This year I have so much that makes me thankful, so I hope you will bear with me as I post a corny family tradition here.

I am thankful for my two amazing children who continue to teach me new lessons about life. I am thankful for my wonderful husband who supports me even when I don’t make it easy for him. I may be forgiving of others, but my poor dear husband will tell you that I can be difficult to live with sometimes. Still, the dear man loves me for which I am grateful. I am also grateful that he brings me coffee every morning. My family knows not to talk to me until I have my morning coffee.

©DelightfullyDifferentLife

I am grateful for two adoring dogs, well someone has to adore me after all! I still believe dog is God spelled backwards, not because they are the anti-Christ, but because they are angels sent from God. They love me even when I forget to walk them, or tell them to go away that I’m trying to work. God Bless Them!

I am also thankful for all of you who take the time to read my blogs and who support my endeavor to make the world a safer place for our children, as we all work together to create a world where bullies are no longer tolerated. I am especially thankful for those who are helping me to promote the book. You all know who you are, and since some of you are private people, I won’t list names here.

Thanks to Kim Wombles for writing and posting the book review on her blog. Kim’s blog was Countering, and she is one of the founders of Autism Blogs. I am also thankful for many other follow bloggers who share their thoughts and insights, and who along with those who comment on their blogs, giving me great insights that I might not have without them. If you go to the different blogs, you might want to check out some of the ones they follow too. We have so many talented and informative people in Blog land!

Whether you are celebrating Thanksgiving in America or celebrating life else where, have a wonderful weekend! I plan to actually spend some much-needed time with my family including the four-legged members of the family this long weekend.

The Right Way to Prevent Bullying

Bullying, Schools • Tags: , , ,
Purchased Clipart Collection Version 1.2 (2.2) Copyright ©Macmanus. All rights reserved.

Purchased Clipart Collection Version 1.2 (2.2) Copyright ©Macmanus. All rights reserved.

Today’s title is linked to a story from Valhalla, New York:http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local&id=7772087

It is about triplets who started a program to educate younger kids in how to prevent bullying. I strongly advise you to watch this. All schools need to encourage more programs like this one. I hope when colleges look at community service, they give these seniors bonus points because they are examples of upstanders.

I love school systems that encourage older children to look out for younger ones. The seniors told the middle school children things that were important, like that threatening and harassing text messages should be reported to their parents and to the police. They also taught them that bystanders could and should speak up, as they make a difference. This is the type of message that needs to be given more often. Schools programs that teach children how to be good citizens and what laws can be used to protect themselves are so needed today. I hope you will help to pass this message on to others.

Delightfully Different Is Heading to the Printers 2

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Purchased Clipart Collection Version 1.2 (2.2) Copyright ©Macmanus. All rights reserved.

Purchased Clipart Collection Version 1.2 (2.2) Copyright ©Macmanus. All rights reserved.

Most of you know this blog initially started as a means to promote my book, Delightfully Different. I am happy to tell you that I submitted the final proof to iUniverse this week. The book will be available through their site in the next ten to fourteen days. Here is the link to their site: http://www.iuniverse.com

Writing for me has become a process that is a rewarding cathartic. There is a certain irony to this as I went into nursing years ago so I could help others. My teachers wanted me to pursue either a journalism or an English major instead. You see these were truly my strong subjects not science. My old English teacher is hopefully watching from heaven, and I recently received a long letter from my high school journalism teacher. Thanks to both of them for giving me a love of reading and writing.

I will also continue to blog, as I have found that doing the research for the blog has helped me to continue to learn, and to be open to other’s ideas on the subjects of bullying, autism spectrum disorders, and forgiveness. It is a continuing journey and a learning process which I am enjoying immeasurably.