Poughkeepsie district to honor MLK with 'anti-bully' week

The Poughkeepsie City School District is celebrating the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. by designating the week of his birth as “Anti-Bully” week.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is observed on the third Monday in January each year. The day recognizes the Jan. 15 birthday of the slain civil rights leader, who was assassinated in April 1968 in Memphis, Tenn.

From Tuesday through Friday, Poughkeepsie will "acknowledge the importance of celebrating an 'anti-bullying' approach in our schools and in our community," according to a district news release. "Dr. King urged all of us to stand up for the oppressed and persecuted."

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Nationwide, one in four children is a victim of regular bullying.

The district's week-long recognition is part of an overall anti-bullying campaign launched this year, led by Poughkeepsie's Family and Community Engagement Task Force. The campaign is the result of responses from culture and climate surveys, in which families rate their satisfaction with different aspects of the district.

Consistently, the biggest concern from families and students in all grade levels is the "insecurity and anxiety of Poughkeepsie's youth," as it relates to bullying and harassment, the district said.

A  "Family University" in December consisted of workshops and activities for students and relatives on the topic of bullying.

The AT&T and Siena Upstander Program, a new peer-to-peer prevention initiative, also started at Poughkeepsie High School in November. As part of the mentoring program, trained Siena College students visit schools across the state to help educate students, teachers and administrators on the growing threat of cyberbullying with workshops, tools and resources to combat it.

Nearly two dozen Poughkeepsie students pledged to be local "Upstander ambassadors," who speak up, notify adults and/or interrupt cyberbullying behavior, rather than being bystanders.

The district says it's also training teachers and staff to recognize bullying, and the steps to take in response to it, which includes a "district-wide process for reporting incidents under New York State’s Dignity for All Students Act."

Eight more family workshops, which feature a complimentary dinner and child care for preschoolers, are scheduled in January.

Three of them will be held during anti-bully week — Tuesday at Clinton Elementary School, and Thursday at both Poughkeepsie Middle School and the Poughkeepsie Academic and Career Excellence (PACE) academy, located in the former Christopher  Columbus Elementary building.

"Families, community members, and all scholars are encouraged to attend and share their concerns, questions and suggestions with district and community experts," the district said. 

On Jan. 30. the high school will again partner with AT&T for a workshop on cyberbullying. 

Check www.poughkeepsieschools.org for the full schedule of anti-bullying workshops.

Nina Schutzman: nschutzman@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-451-4518 Twitter: @pojonschutzman