A Solution For Bullying, Empowering Kids With The Gaga Panel

by Patricia
(Tucson, AZ)

A Solution for Bullying, Empowering Kids With The GaGa Committee

Please pass this along to anyone who could benefit, using email, snail mail, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and what ever else there is out there.

Send to teachers, school officials, class presidents, media, town on-line newspapers, Lady GaGa and all of your friends.

The only solution to bullying right now is geared toward individually handling it, the following suggestions takes the bullied out of the closet to end their isolation.

Outline for The Ga Ga Panel

There should be a rotating (a week or two) panel of students, one student from each grade/class, forming a group, that meets every day for a certain amount of time, who listens to the situation and reviews any evidence from students who are being bullied. There should be one adult, teacher/volunteer that the panel would have access to, if needed. The student panel would then confront the bully and tell them to stop the abusive action. If the bully does not stop, the panel would issue consequences.

These consequences would need to be discussed and decided upon before the formation of the panel. Perhaps ‘shunning’ the student, or posting their picture on a school bulletin board. There should be an ‘all school meeting’ introducing the purpose of the panel, during which the school officials, would have the students vote on the consequences. This student meeting would be announcing the fact, to all, that the school officials and the student body will be taking bullying seriously. It should also be stated in this meeting, LOUDLY, that bullies are acting out because of their own insecurities and fears and that their actions are pathetic and cowardly, so in the end, they too, will benefit from this panel. This ‘all school’ meeting could also put together a ‘constitution’ for the school, with rules such as; no physical aggression, no name calling, etc.

If, after receiving the consequences, the bully still does not comply, the adult, teacher/volunteer would be called to confront the bully, threatening to go up the chain by calling her/his parents, parents of the bullied and finally the disciplinarian and or, principal of the school, who would use whatever options they have, to take care of the problem.

The acting panel should take an oath promising to protect the students and to take seriously the responsibility before them. The oath will include that the panel shall be considered equal despite their age, sex, religion, race, size, appearance, etc. When a student is on the panel and eventually, they all will be, they have no past, even if they are a bully or a bullied. As a member of the panel, their slate is wiped clean, the student panel is reborn on the day they start and they are” born this way”, only to provide justice to all those who stand before them.
Any student has a right to be heard by the panel, including those who want to speak of someone else they know of, who is being harassed, if not themselves.

During their tenure, the student panel should wear some kind of an icon, (suggestion... a picture of Lady GaGa, or something she wears like a hat or headband, or nose ring, etc.) so everyone knows the wearer is on the panel. Perhaps the panel should have a special lunch table where they get to leave class a little early for lunch so they get served first and have time to begin their discussions.

Other Suggestions

The first 20 or so bullied students, who bravely approach the panel should be rewarded, maybe a day off of school of their own choosing. This could also be discussed and voted on at the all school meeting.

Those who are bullied should have a choice in explaining their situation; by computer, or approaching a member of the panel, a submission box placed in the school, or by addressing the entire panel when they are in session. The latter being the most encouraged.
After completing their duty on the GaGa panel, those students may act as a ‘big brother or sister’ to the bullied for a period of time.

The name of the panel could be, ‘Ghastly Actions Get Annihilated’, or simply, The GaGa panel

Any, or all of these steps can be refined to fit the needs of the students.

Comments, opinions and suggestions welcomed.

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