Central Alberta students are still talking about the heartbreaking story of Amanda Todd.
They know what can happen if a teenager feels so alone. Tormented by strangers and classmates, the Vancouver-area teen tried to escape. But the bullying online and physical attack that followed were too tough to endure for the 15-year-old.
At St. Thomas Aquinas Middle School in Red Deer, students Abagael Thiessen and Luke Puto say Amanda’s sad ending is a reminder that bullying cannot be tolerated. Like several million others around the globe, they’ve seen the video Amanda posted on YouTube, just weeks before she took her life on Oct. 10.
“No matter how hard she tried to get away from it, she never could get away,” said Puto, 13.
Amanda spiralled into a state of depression over continued negative comments on Facebook and cellphone texting.
Diane Weber Bederman, a chaplain, asked in the Toronto Star on Oct. 17, why a multidisciplinary approach wasn’t used to treat Amanda.
“The vast majority of children who are bullied don’t kill themselves,” wrote Bederman. “She killed herself because she was in the middle of a mental health crisis that should have been treated.”
Larry Jacobs, superintendent at Wolf Creek Public Schools, agrees that mental health needs to be talked about in light of bullying, too.
A number of school districts are questioning whether Amanda’s video should be viewed in classrooms, he said, because they don’t want vulnerable students to think that suicide is the way to go. Jacobs said they have sent an advisory to all their schools to be aware of this before any decision to show the video.
Bullying is a key discussion point in schools, and in particular what students should do if they feel they are being targeted online.
The Alberta government says it will bring in some of Canada’s toughest anti-bullying measures under its proposed new Education Act.
It will seek to define bullying and require boards to develop a student code of conduct addressing bullying behaviour — including cyber-bullying — no matter where or when it occurs.
Cyber-bullying has become more noticeable in recent years within Chinook’s Edge School Division. Superintendent Kurt Sacher hopes provincial legislation will spell out clearly what schools should do regarding cyber-bullying.
“It’s becoming more and more of a challenge for administrators,” said Sacher. “When it becomes a distraction in the school and it affects the child’s ability to learn, then it gets into an area of concern.”
Students say if there are problems between their peers, they seem to come in the way of put-downs through Facebook, Twitter and other social media.
Schools are learning how important it is to be proactive and a number of programs are in place.
And officials say students need to know where to go to for help.
Chinook’s Edge has various programs and services designed to make a safe and caring school community. Students are surveyed annually to find out if they feel safe at school. Alberta Education does similar surveys with students and staff across Alberta each year.
Chinook’s Edge schools also have family wellness workers who can talk to troubled students initially and refer them to expert help if needed. The school division also has three policies pertaining to harassment, student conduct and hazing/froshing.
Dave Khatib, who became division principal for Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools recently after overseeing St. Thomas Aquinas Middle School for five years, said staff are trained how to intervene so they aren’t confrontational with a suspected bully.
If there are concerns that a victimized student may want to hurt themselves, staff are trained how to perceive this and find the right way to help.
“We look at bullying that is something that is sustained, that is particularly pointed at one person and the other person feels like they are being threatened and being placed in a very uncomfortable position,” said Khatib.
The school district has turned to the City of Red Deer’s Community Standards bylaw that deals with bullying. The bylaw allows for a fine of $125 for a first offence and $250 for a second offence. The fine for a first offence can be waived if the offender finishes an anti-bullying educational program.
They can use the city bylaw and bring in school RCMP resource officers in serious situations.
Khatib said a fine was levied a couple of years ago after a girl “went beyond name-calling” against another classmate. She used Facebook and texting — technologies that offer evidence to investigators.
Parent involvement is so important because they need to know what is going, particularly when rumours and other taunts can be spread so easily through the web and cellphones, he added.
“You don’t stop bullying by doing threats yourself,” said Khatib. “You stop it by trying to find out what is motivating the student to do (the bullying). Then you will get much better results when you look at it from those eyes.”
Student are getting the message.
Thiessen doesn’t believe bullying is a serious problem at St. Thomas because everyone is made to feel welcome.
“Some kids think it’s OK to pick on others because they think they are different,” said Thiessen, 14. “Really, it’s not something that should be made fun of, just because of who they are.”
Puto said if someone was being picked on, he knows what to do. He’d tell the bully to stop what they’re doing and try to talk to them.
If that doesn’t work, the observing student can always tell a teacher, added Thiessen.
“Our school always talks about (bullying) at the beginning of the year and always make sure that kids are aware there’s someone they can talk to if they are having problems,” she said.
At Wolf Creek schools including those in Lacombe and Ponoka, students learn about digital citizenship. They learn how to conduct themselves on social media, said Jacobs.
Jacobs said it was unfortunate Amanda Todd made a critical error.
She flashed her breasts on a webcam, thinking it wouldn’t go anywhere beyond that.
“Young people are especially not street smart about things they post,” said Jacobs.
The school district also has a zero-tolerance policy. If a principal learns something inappropriate was posted on someone’s cellphone or Facebook, it’s responded to, said Jacobs.
“Cyber-bullying is insidious and a lot of time it’s hidden from the parents’ world,” said Jacobs.
At Red Deer’s Hunting Hills High School, the H Team student mentorship program is making a difference. Grade 12 students Stephanie Aubuchon, a wellness rep, and Danny Henry, the student body president, are among those who mentor. From day one, the student mentors try to integrate the Grade 9 students into a community of acceptance, caring, love and choosing kindness, said Henry.
“They know right from the bat that this isn’t a school where we bully, where we pick on or judge people,” said Aubuchon. “This is a school where you can come and be safe.”
Karyn Barber, principal at Hunting Hills, said the doors of counsellors and staff are always open.
“There’s lots of support and all they have to do is ask,” said Barber.
Grade 12 counsellor Dianne Gomes said one philosophy she shares with students is that “hurt people hurt people” so the bully may need support as well.
“We work with both sides,” she said. “We’ve had Grade 9 and 10 students who (were bullies) and are now upstanding kids in our school.”
The school will participate in Canadawide Bullying Awareness Week, Stand Up, in mid-November.
ltester@www.reddeeradvocate.com