What can superintendents do to prevent students from bullying?
Ronald W. Holmes, Ph.D.
Special to the Outlook
As students go back to school for the 2023– 2024 academic year, it is important that they are afforded a rigorous academic curriculum that prepares them for 21st century skill requirements. It is also important that students are educated in a school climate that is free from harassment, intimidation and bullying. Since bullying is a complex phenomenon, the critical question to be asked is: What can superintendents do to prevent bullying?
Whether it is direct bullying, indirect bullying, cyber bullying or hazing, they all may have the same psychological and physical effect on students such as low self-esteem, poor performance in school, severe illness and death. Schools are confronted with these dangerous acts committed by perpetrators throughout the U.S. They must employ research-based interventions to protect the safety and livelihood of their students.
Dr. Ronald Holmes has created an Online National Anti-Bullying Curriculum to help superintendents prevent bullying in their schools. He has also written a book titled “How to Eradicate Bullying” aligned with the curriculum. Superintendents interested in incorporating the online program can preview a demo of the program on the website of The Holmes Education Post. They can also contact Dr. Holmes at rwh@theholmeseducationpost.com for additional information.
The Online National Anti-Bullying Curriculum for students is comprised of nine modules. The program provides research-based content on bullying including definitions, examples and scenarios; the physical and emotional effects of bullying; ways to identify and prevent bullying; methods to report bullying; and suggested strategies to eradicate bullying from the school’s climate.
The Online National Anti-Bullying Curriculum is platform agnostic (Windows, OSX and Android); and is compatible with multiple browsers. There will be no additional burden on schools to implement the online program. Students will be assigned a link or passkey to use the program. They will only need to have access to a computer whether at school, Library, or home.
Let’s graciously welcome students back to school and provide them an academic environment that is conducive to learning and free from harassment, intimidation and bullying. Considering October is National Bullying Prevention Month (NBPM), Dr. Holmes’ Online National Anti-Bullying Curriculum and book on “How to Eradicate Bullying” provide superintendents with outstanding resources to creating a bully free environment for their students.
Dr. Ronald Holmes is the author of 25 books and publisher of “The Holmes Education Post,” an education focused Internet newspaper. Holmes is a former teacher, school administrator, test developer and district superintendent. He has written children’s books about the coronavirus, solar system, flowers, careers and school bullying. His adult books focus on hazing, workplace bullying, bipolar disorders, issues in education and completing the dissertation.
