The Bully Action Guide: How to Help Your Child and Get Your School to Listen

by Edward F. Dragan EdD

Overview

Bullying used to be thought of as an unpleasant rite of passage, but now psychologists are realizing that it inflicts real harm. As many as 40 percent of children report that they've experienced episodes of bullying at school or online through their school community. School safety expert Edward Dragan argues that parents need to be proactive in looking out for their children's social well being at school. From his many decades as a Board of Education insider, he argues that schools are self-protective entities and reluctant to address bullying themselves.

The Bully Action Guide shows parents how to:

• discuss bullying with their child

• efficiently address individual needs with teachers

• take effective action to stop the bullying

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780230110427
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	04/26/2011
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	8.04(w) x 5.52(h) x 0.68(d)

About the Author

Edward F. Dragan, Ed.D. has spent more than 40 years in education as a teacher, principal, school superintendent, and an official in the New Jersey Department of Education. As the founder of Education Management Consulting and of Safe Schools International, he is now a legal consultant for high profile school bullying cases. He has appeared on NBC Nightly News, Today on NBC, PBS's One on One, The Morning Show on Fox, and others.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction 1

1 The Many Faces of Bullying 11

2 Why You Can't Count on Schools 43

3 How to Get the Facts: What Questions to Ask Your Child 67

4 How to Approach the School 89

5 What to Do When You Get No Results 115

6 The Legal Face of Bullying: Criminal and Civil Laws 145

7 Bullying on the Cyber Playground 173

Appendix 205

Notes 227

Index 235

Editorial Reviews

This book is an indispensable tool and support for parents of children dealing with bullying issues in school. Ed Dragan empowers parents to take action and protect their children from harassment and teaches them to intervene effectively with teachers and principals.” —Jodee Blanco, New York Times bestselling author of Please Stop Laughing At Me

“In my work I see many understandably frustrated parents become desperate to figure out how to enlist the school when their child is bullied. How should they approach the teacher? What happens if the teacher won't recognize the problem? What should you do if the school refuses to do anything to stop the bullies? The Bully Action Guide fills a critical gap in the resources available for parents. Not only does it provide clear strategies for when to approach educators but how. The book is filled with simple yet powerful scripts for parents to use to clearly communicate their child's rights and hold educators responsible in a way that gives the parent the best chance of working in collaboration with the school. I am strongly recommending this book for all parents.” —Rosalind Wiseman, author of Queen Bees and Wannabes

“The Bully Action Guide is a must-have for anyone who is concerned about a child being bullied. Offering calm but effective dialogue templates, a "chain of command" hierarchy to follow when results aren't forthcoming at one level, and tips on what to document and how, Dr. Dragan provides the steps to help both parents and authorities communicate more effectively.” —Cheryl Dellasega, author of Mean Girls Grown Up

“The Bully Action Guide is a priceless resource for any parent, grandparent and family member wanting to ensure their child's safety.” —Maureen Healy, author of 365 Perfect Things to Say to Your Kids

“A most important book for any parent whose child is being bullied! No other book gives parents such sensible, easy–to-follow guidance for helping a child who's being bullied, and effectively communicating with a school to end the bullying. A must-read.” —Naomi Drew, author of No Kidding about Bullying

“Bullying is not a rite of passage; it is abuse that must be stopped. Dragan skillfully provides "how to's" that parents can follow to protect their children at school. Who to call, what to say, questions to ask and scripts to follow – words so potent that they cannot be ignored. You want this pro on your team in times of trouble. He is telling you exactly how schools operate and how to get what you need. Listen and be safe!” —Mary Jo McGrath, author of School Bullying: Tools for Avoiding Harm and Liability

“Dragan's book places into the hands of parents orderly, common sense procedures to effectively communicate with their child and with the school to end bullying. It is time for a step-by-step proven system to give parents the edge when dealing with school administrators and teachers. This book gives parents much needed tools, so that schools will not only listen to them, but act to stop the bullying for their child.” —Brenda High, Co-director and Founder of watchdog organization Bully Police USA

From the Publisher

Dragan's book places into the hands of parents orderly, common sense procedures to effectively communicate with their child and with the school to end bullying. It is time for a step-by-step proven system to give parents the edge when dealing with school administrators and teachers. This book gives parents much needed tools, so that schools will not only listen to them, but act to stop the bullying for their child.

Co-director and Founder of watchdog organization B Brenda High

Bullying is not a rite of passage; it is abuse that must be stopped. Dragan skillfully provides "how to's" that parents can follow to protect their children at school. Who to call, what to say, questions to ask and scripts to follow – words so potent that they cannot be ignored. You want this pro on your team in times of trouble. He is telling you exactly how schools operate and how to get what you need. Listen and be safe!

author of School Bullying: Tools for Avoiding Mary Jo McGrath

This book is an indispensable tool and support for parents of children dealing with bullying issues in school. Ed Dragan empowers parents to take action and protect their children from harassment and teaches them to intervene effectively with teachers and principals.

New York Times bestselling author of Please Stop L Jodee Blanco