This was the second such workshop conducted for Islesboro Central. The first half-day workshop was last August at a staff in-service day. Another workshop involving the community is planned for this spring. Funding for these workshops is provided by state grants under the REAP program.
“Sticks and Stones may break my bones, but names can never hurt me” – anyone who has ever chanted that rhyme knows it’s not true, that name calling does hurt and can sometimes lead to violent actions. In recognition of this problem, the Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence was founded in 1999 at the University of Southern Maine. Stephen L. Wessler, formerly the Chief of the Civil Rights Unit in the Maine Department of the Attorney General, is CPHV’s director. Says Wessler, “Language can hurt. Educators, parents, and community members must help students become the solution to the problem of bias, prejudice, and harassment in schools.”
The Student Leaders Project was developed by the Center to provide young people with the skills, confidence, and courage to speak up when others engage in harassing conduct toward their classmates.
The workshop provided Islesboro students with an understanding of the impact of degrading language and the practical skills to intervene in low key, gentle ways. Students were encouraged to be role models of respectful behavior toward fellow classmates, teachers and school property.
While teachers sat mostly on the sidelines, Islesboro students participated in lively discussions and role-playing situations, learned about current laws on hate crimes, and developed skits outlining ways and attitudes to create a secure, comfortable school environment. The students at ICS pledged to be more respectful, sincere, positive, and open minded in relating to their peers. They pledged to “watch each other’s back and back each other up.” By the end of the day, students were energized to work on keeping ICS as safe as possible and to reduce the day-to-day harassment that can occur within the school environment.