THE tragic death in January of Queensland schoolgirl Amy ‘Dolly’ Everett provided a sombre focus for the eighth National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence (NDA) on Friday.
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Among the local schools who have taken a stand against bullying is Heritage College Lake Macquarie, at Morisset.
Principal Simon Dodson addressed the students on Thursday morning in preparation for the special day.
He defined bullying as: “When someone with more power than you repeatedly and intentionally uses negative words and/or actions against you which causes you distress and risks your wellbeing.”
On Friday, students were involved in several activities including home group meetings and discussions, anti-bullying poster design, and teacher-student conferences.
Students from kindergarten to year 12 imagined a world free from bullying and combined this information into a mural.
A national study in 2009 found about one in four year 4 to year 9 students (27 per cent) reported being bullied every few weeks or more often. Frequent school bullying was highest among year 5 (32 per cent) and year 8 (29 per cent) students.
Some 83 per cent of students who bully others online also bully others in person, and peers are present as onlookers in 87 per cent of bullying interactions, and play a central role in the bullying process.
- Lifeline 131 114.