Monday, January 31, 2011

BAREFOOT EVENT - BULLYING

Come along and find out more about how children, parents, teachers and the wider
community can recognise, understand and combat bullying. 
Artwork copyright by Janet Wolf 2011


Presented by Maree Stanley 

Wednesday 16th March, 2011
Eltham Community and Reception Centre, 801 Main Rd, Eltham
Doors open 7pm (limited parking)

7.30pm (prompt start) – 10.00pm

Tickets: $20/$15 conc. - includes light supper

RSVP by 11th March by emailing charlotte@barefootmagazine.com.au
Tickets must be paid for prior to event (paypal to your right of this page)

Other enquiries please call 0417509756.

ELTHAMBookshop will have books for sale on the night.

Maree Stanley is the Prevention Manager at The Alannah and Madeline Foundation
The Foundation’s mission is'keeping children safe from violence’. 
Maree developed the foundation’s prevention program and is an experienced and dynamic
speaker on the issue of bullying.

2 comments:

  1. found your magazine by accident..as a pagan mum raising her children in the way of the Goddess this was obviously serendipity.My daughter was a victim of bullying by other girls this is very insidious too as she was excluded,personally denigrated,refused to be allowed to participate in class groups and events..It happened suddenly..one minute they were her friends the next she became a victim of insidious peer exclusion relentlessly for a period of two years..the school actually blamed her! She has an endocrine condition which makes her slightly smaller than her peers and gives her some spatial issues and basically I was told that "she just perceives things differently" which is not true,when its the golden girls of the class doing the bullying you may as well move your child out of that school..how do you fight that? her parents always participating and donating,offering their time and more,usually these girls are pretty ,do well in class,polite to elders..others saw what was happening even other parents and no one said a word,went one day to pick her up from a birthday party she was invited to and found her sitting alone in the laundry,no one had played with her,she was ridiculed,no one spoke to her..I mentioned this to the other parents and teachers and basically I was told by the teachers that we perceived things wrongly (sorry I dont know ..how many ways can one perceive "go away you are not wanted here") and the parents were just oh no well ,and the look of relief that it wasnt their daughter,even the parents of the not so popular children avoided the issue..when I took my child out of that school you could see the look of terror on their faces because they knew that one of their own children would be bullied instead of mine...I would like to add that this was a Waldorf/Steiner class too..The next school another Waldorf school she was called names and ridiculed by the boys in the class all term (the girls ignored her) when I finally confronted the teacher he asked why she didnt tell him before and she said" I can tell you know that I am leaving because its safe to do so, I couldnt before because they told me it would be worse for me if I did"
    At this same school my son who is an athlete type of boy,attractive well mannered and friendly was also bullied via exclusion by his male peers,he went from being a happy child with friends in the previous school to coming home crying every night..I find that trying to sort out bullying with the school just leads to nowhere..they tell the bullies..the bullies deny it..they are believed,esp if they are the perfect student..and it gets worse.
    And this is my other point; if the bully is from a low socioeconomic background,does not do well at school,is unattractive etc then the school will believe you but if the bully is from a middle class white collared home,with parents active in the school community,attractive and a good student you will be met with total disbelief and told your child has the problem ,my daughter has experienced this in 4 different schools.
    keep up the good work

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  2. Juno, Thank you so much for sharing what must daily break your heart. Having your beloved children bullied is an awful experience. I hope that one day they might find peace amongst their peers, and healing in their heart.
    I hope you can make it to our evening event.
    Jenny.

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