(DES MOINES) - Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds today launched the second Governor's Bullying Prevention Summit, where the focus this year is on practical next steps, and how students and adults can make a difference.
Approximately 1,100 Iowans are attending the summit, which is being held at Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines. The 2012 Governor's Bullying Prevention Summit also drew about 1,100 attendees.
The governor and lieutenant governor used their weekly news conference this morning to thank sponsors for the summit
"I want to thank every single one of our sponsors who stepped up to help support our second anti-bullying summit," said Branstad. "This would not have been possible with their generous assistance. Generous summit support pledged by sponsors this summer and registration fees should cover most if not all of the summit costs, estimated to be about $100,000."
A complete list of sponsors is available on the summit website: https://preventbullying.iowa.gov/.
Any additional funds raised by the anti-bullying summit campaign will go to a statewide bullying prevention education fund for Iowa schools. Schools will be able to apply to the Iowa Department of Education for competitive grants for bullying prevention education in the 2014-15 school year. Grants will be distributed across the state among rural, urban and suburban schools.
"We want to send the message that bullying prevention should be a top priority for all of us," said Reynolds. "Support for bullying prevention efforts both inside and outside schools is essential to make the kind of progress needed. It's important that parents, grandparents, educators, elected officials and other community leaders - as well as students - do more to address this pervasive problem."
The theme for the summit is "Mission Possible: Stepping up the Response."
The summit will be streamed live starting at 9 a.m.by eSchoolMedia Inc., in partnership with EduVision by JDL Horizons. JDL Horizons, using its flagship Internet streaming solution EduVision, will accept the stream and deliver the summit to a national audience of more than 1 million K-12 educators throughout North America and around the world. The stream can be seen live at https://educateiowa.eduvision.tv/
Gov. Branstad's speech, as prepared for delivery:
Thank you, Lt. Governor Reynolds. And thank you to the approximately 1,100 Iowans attending this second Governor's Bullying Prevention Summit.
We're here because together we have work to do.
As Lt. Governor Reynolds noted, a number of bullying prevention efforts are already under way across Iowa. I'll add Sioux City public schools, the Cardinal Community School District in Eldon, and St. Mary's in Manchester to the list of places moving Iowa in the right direction.
But if Iowans do nothing more to address the problem of bullying, we will fall short.
57 percent of students who participated in the 2012 Iowa Youth Survey reported being bullied at school in some way in the past 30 days. That's up from 50 percent in 2010.
Maybe students are more willing to report bullying. Maybe more bullying is occurring on social networking sites. Maybe the difference between meanness and bullying isn't always clear.
In any case, 57 percent of students feeling bullied should trouble everyone.
Whatever explains the increase, the first step is looking at how schools can do more to cultivate a culture of respect and kindness. What should we be asking of students, teachers and school staff? How can we get parents more involved? What else could community leaders do?
It is striking that an investigation into factors that may have contributed to A.J. Betts's death by suicide in July found Southeast Polk High School staff had not tolerated bullying, but that more could be done to improve the school's culture. The district is now working to do that at the high school, along the lines of some of the activities already in place in middle school.
Changing the culture means facing the fact that bullying is a real problem - it is not a normal childhood rite of passage - and agreeing we can do better.
The Iowa Department of Education last year launched a new data collection system to provide a more accurate picture of bullying in schools.
Yet the information districts initially sent to the department this summer suggests reporting is not always the priority it should be. Dozens of districts reported no incidents of bullying. Other districts reported many incidents, while similar-sized districts reported few.
It's important that we get this right - that we neither understate nor overstate the problem of bullying, but get our arms around the extent of it.
A second step is looking at whether we should strengthen state law to deal with cyber-bullying.
Let's make sure schools have the authority they need to respond to bullying that occurs on social networking sites when it affects students at school.
Let's make sure students understand that it is unacceptable to post rumors, threats and humiliating photos harassing classmates.
All of us can step up the response to bullying - inside schools but also outside schools.
That is why I am proud to make two announcements today. At the 2012 summit, I announced the launch of a new anti-bullying and suicide prevention resource - Your Life Iowa.
This hotline and website provide help to Iowans 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Kids can text their concerns as well as call in.
We plan to expand hours for texting from the current 4 to 8 p.m. to 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Your Life Iowa will soon step up its outreach in other ways, with details available in coming months.
I am also proud to announce that the Iowa Barnstormers plan to launch an anti-bullying campaign for the 2014 season with the slogan, "We've got your back." Initially, there will be one program for younger students and one for high school athletes. This will include some of the players visiting schools. Eventually, the Barnstormers hope to add a program for parents.
What a great example of leadership. Thank you to the Iowa Barnstormers!
In closing, I've received emails, letters and phone calls in the last couple years from students as well as adults who recall the sting of bullying like it was yesterday.
One recent letter asked, "Will you do something about it?"
That's the question for all of us.
I am confident that together we can do more to address bullying, including the kinds of behavior that can escalate into bullying.
After all, this is Iowa where we pride ourselves on looking out for each other.
When you pick up your box lunch today, you will also receive an orange and teal wristband that says, "Iowans United Against Bullying."
I hope you will wear it with pride. We are united against bullying, and I deeply appreciate your commitment. Thank you.
Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds' speech, as prepared for delivery:
Thank you, Director Buck for that nice introduction.
Good morning everyone. Thank you for attending the 2nd Governor's Bullying Prevention Summit.
How many students are in the audience today?
Could I have a show of hands please?
And how many adults are here?
I am thrilled to see all of you.
Your commitment to stepping up the response to bullying is clear.
Governor Branstad and I share that commitment.
The message of our first Governor's Bullying Prevention Summit in November 2012 was that schools alone can't stop bullying, that it takes the community.
This year our focus is on practical next steps, how students and adults can make a difference.
We have a shared responsibility to make sure everyone feels safe and respected at school.
State law may need to be strengthened.
But let's also change the culture so bullying is not acceptable anywhere -- not on the playground, not in the cafeteria, and not on social media.
This is a challenge we can meet by building on the many good things already going on in Iowa to address bullying.
I'll highlight three...
First, after last year's summit, Oskaloosa Middle School students returned home and began to plan a Kindness Day for May 2013.
Quote - "When you are kind, you can't be a bully. This was the message the students heard at the summit," recalled counselor Amanda Hoffman.
Kindness Day activities included writing a note the recognized an act of kindness by a classmate and taking an all-school photo with students wearing orange T-shirts in a show of unity.
The second example is in Ankeny, where schools have a new slogan -- "Bullying: We don't do that here." The slogan is part of an anti-bullying action plan approved by the school board in September. Businesses and the city council are supporting this initiative, launched after a community survey identified bullying as a top concern.
The plan also includes a hotline for anonymous reports on bullying.
And third, the Iowa Youth Congress at their annual meeting in October picked cyber-bullying reform as one of their top priorities.
Now I have the honor of introducing Aditi Dinakar, a Johnston High School senior and regional president for Iowa Youth Congress, to tell you more.
(Aditi speaks for 2 minutes.)
Thank you, Aditi, and Iowa Youth Congress for your commitment to bullying prevention.
We are grateful to all the students, parents, educators, civic and business leaders, and elected officials, who have been involved in bullying prevention efforts across our state.
We also want to thank our many sponsors, whose generous contributions have made this second summit possible, and who helped raise additional funds for bullying prevention education.
You are all setting a great example.
Now, it's my privilege to turn the podium over to Gov. Terry Branstad.
You won't find a more passionate, caring or kind individual than Governor Branstad.
Repeatedly, he will say his goal is to treat people with - quote - "respect and dignity." And I see him demonstrate that every day, even when the cameras aren't rolling.
I am so pleased Governor Branstad has chosen to champion bullying prevention, on top of all of his other responsibilities. He understands that students deserve to feel safe and respected at school.
Please join me in welcoming Gov. Terry Branstad!
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