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No Name-Calling Week Offers Chance To Combat
Homophobia
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: January 15, 2008 - 5:00 pm ET
(New York City) Thousands of elementary schools
across the country will take part next week in the fifth-annual No Name-Calling
Week, providing a opportunity for educators to address the growing problem of
homophobia in the nation's schools.
Aimed at grades 5-8 with additional lesson plans for earlier grades, No
Name-Calling Week - Jan. 21-25 - is an annual week of educational activities aimed
at ending name-calling of all kinds.
It is sponsored by GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, and Simon and
Schuster Children's Publishing, in collaboration with nearly 50 national
education and youth service organizations.
The organizers provide schools with the tools and
inspiration to launch an on-going dialogue about ways to eliminate bullying in
their communities.
"No Name-Calling Week offers schools an opportunity to engage students
about the importance of treating one another with respect," said GLSEN
spokesperson Dr. Eliza Byard.
"Unfortunately, far too many
students experience the negative impact of name-calling, bullying and
harassment. Through proactive educational interventions like No Name-Calling
Week, schools can make a difference in the safety of all of their
students."
No Name-Calling Week is inspired by the young adult novel, The Misfits, by
popular author James Howe.
The book tells the story of four best friends trying
to survive the seventh grade in the face of all too frequent name-calling,
bullying and harassment. The students create a "No Name Day" at school
in hopes of creating a safer environment.
Among the other sponsors are the National Association of
Secondary School Principals, the National Association of Elementary School
Principals, Girl Scouts of the USA, the National School Boards Association and
the National Education Association.
In GLSEN's 2005 report, From Teasing to Torment: School Climate in America,
47 percent of junior/middle high school students identified bullying,
name-calling or harassment as somewhat serious or very serious problems at their
school.
Additionally, 69 percent of junior/middle high school students reported
being assaulted or harassed in the previous year and only 41 percent said they
felt very safe at school.
©365Gay.com 2008
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