A few dozen elementary school students took part in kicking off the second annual "Bullying Stops Here" campaign Wednesday in Buffalo. Speakers at the event in the downtown Central Library included Buffalo State College student and National Federation of Just Communities volunteer Lindsay Raymond. She encouraged the children to become an "active bystander."
"If you see something, you say something. You have to find what's comfortable for you, whether it's telling a teacher, a coach, confronting your friends, or whatever it is, make sure your voice is heard because you all have a voice and what you say matters," Raymond told the kids.
Raymond told her audience that every bullying situation involves three groups of people: the bully, the victim, and the bystander.
"The bystander is the largest group among the three and, I believe, has the most power. So what we need to challenge ourselves to do every day is to become an active bystander, not just someone who stands by on the sidelines," she said.
As part of the month-long initiative, the students signed a banner in support of "Bullying Stops Here."
Similar banners and a calendar of events with a focus on anti-bullying and peaceful coexistence are available in all 37 Buffalo and Erie County Public Libraries.
