Posted by Rosie Reeves on March 4, 2011 · 3 Comments
Bullying has been all over the media, although we all know it has been around forever. Now a new report by non-profit AbilityPath.org called “Walk a Mile In Their Shoes…Bullying and the Child with Special Needs” shows that special needs students are even more likely than average kids to be taunted and picked on. The report also has guides for parents to help their children and recommends Social and Emotional Learning curricula, like one used in Illinois schools, to address the problem. The group has also launched a public service announcement starring Lauren Potter of “Glee”.
While 45 states have adopted laws related to bullying in the last five years, the report notes, few address the bullying of students with special needs in particular. California schools chief Tom Torlakson plans to include special needs children in anti-bullying legislation. What about your state???
Oh, my boys are turning 6 and 3 and bullying has always been a worry for me, especially since they wear glasses. Even though they are quite common, I’m still scared of the myth behind the “four eyes” remarks. This is a good one!
This looks like an awesome cause!
It’s unfortunate that bullying of those with special needs persists, but a lot of times young children have never been taught about understanding and empathizing with students who have disabilities. It is crucial that parents start teaching their children to accept their differences and helping them to try to understand that children with special needs are just children too. Kids really need to know that their classmates with special needs really aren’t all that different when it comes down to it; this can be a huge step in the right direction for both the child with special needs as well as the child without.
I found this article about teaching children about their classmates with special needs; it is a great resource for any parent.
http://www.care.com/special-needs-teaching-your-child-about-peers-with-special-needs-p1017-q598.html
Hi Mike,
What a terrific article! Terrific ideas on how to teach children to interact with special needs kids in a way that shows compassion and tolerance. Thanks so much for sharing it!