Some 150 Upper Grand District School Board students converged on at the Linamar plant here for a conference on mental health and the environment.
The day-long student senate conference on May 6 dealt with a range of subjects chosen by students such as bullying, addiction, relaxation techniques and local foods.
Groups of 20 rotated from room to room to hear presentations on the different topics.
Grade 12 students Elise Zajdlik, Cage Marach and Malcolm Kerr talked about the effects of bullying.
Bonnie Talbot, superintendent of education with the board talked about the new reporting site for bullying.
“The Upper Grand District School Board takes all incidents of bullying seriously. That’s why we developed an online bullying reporting tool. Report Bullying gives students and parents 24/7 access for reporting bullying,” she told the Advertiser.
“You don’t have to identify yourself – just your school – and your message gets sent directly to your school principal for follow-up.”
Talbot said, “It is sometimes hard to reach out. If bullying continues you do need to get help. As a former principal, students said if they report it it’s going to get worse. (But) if you don’t report it, it’s going to get worse.”
She added, “It’s a basic human right to be respected and feel safe.”
Kerr said the effects of bullying impact victims both in and out of school.
“It has ramifications throughout your life,” he said. “It has a negative impact on other parts of your life.”
Victims often suffer from lower grades, withdrawal from school activities, mental distress and depression, which can lead to self-mutilation and suicide.
Victims may also become aggressive themselves at home.
Kerr said 87 per cent of bullying cases can be stopped if the bully is confronted.
Zajdlik and Marach pointed out that with social media bullying is not just isolated to direct confrontations. It also means victims can’t hide from attackers by staying at home.
“It feels like there’s no refuge anymore,” Zajdlik said.
Kerr urges victims of bullying to seek help.
“A lot of time a bully will go after you because they smell blood,” he said.
“If you can do something like finding a friend that empowers you, that can help.”
