Express & Star

All schools should join the Be Kind Campaign

Campaigner Samantha Billingham discusses how bullying can be tackled in schools

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Today's columnist - Samantha Billingham

It feels as though long gone are the days when children went to school without being surrounded by fear.

Instead, across the nation there are many children not wanting to go to school through fear of being bullied.

School bullying is a type of bullying that occurs in any educational setting, including hostile, intent, repetition, distress and provocation.

However, bullying can happen anywhere with cyber-bullying – using the internet to threaten, tease, upset and humiliate another person – happening outside of the classroom.

The Be Kind Campaign was launched in the summer of 2017 to inspire kindness as a way of being.

The Be Kind campaign

I think it is a wonderful campaign and sincerely hope it is something that all schools, nationwide, take the pledge and work with all of their students showing them how important kindness is.

School is a large part of our children’s lives, so it is important they feel happy and safe there. No child should be lying in bed at night, worrying about what tomorrow at school will bring.

Bullying affects over one million young people every year and anyone can be bullied but no-one should be. Ever.

Bullying can make a child feel isolated, worthless, lonely, anxious and lacking in confidence, no-one has the right to make someone feel this way.

In any form, bullying is hurtful and totally unacceptable.

It is important that all teachers get behind this campaign and push it forward across their school to give encouragement to anyone who might be experiencing bullying in the classroom.

Ignoring bullying will not make it go away and if teachers are not willing to address this issue, how will children have the confidence to tell someone what is happening to them?

According to the Government website some forms of bullying are illegal and should be reported to the police – violence or assault, theft, repeated harassment or intimidation e.g. threats and abusive phone calls, emails or text messages.

It states by law (not private) schools must have a behaviour policy in place that includes measures to prevent all forms of bullying among pupils.

Surely prevention is better than cure and with the Be Kind Campaign attached to the all behaviour policy then together we are becoming stronger against bullying and bullies.

Of course, as parents we all love our children, however, if you suspect your child is bullying another child, please don’t ignore it. Talk with your child, find out if they are going through a difficult time themselves, making sure they understand bullying is completely unacceptable.

I feel it’s important also for parents to support the Be Kind Campaign too and teachers and parents should stand united on this issue.

As the new term is fast approaching, why not ask your headteacher if they are supporting the Be Kind Campaign and if not, ask them if they will inspire kindness to all.

  • Sam Billingham is a campaigner and runs Survivors of Domestic Abuse (SODA).