“Over 3.2 million students are victims of bullying each year,” says Challenge Discovery Projects. In response to this bullying epidemic, New Jersey has dedicated an entire week in an effort to prevent bullying.

The Week of Respect is a week-long event taking place the first week of October. The Week of Respect began in 2011 when New Jersey Governor, Christopher J. Christie, passed a law that made bullying illegal. The New Jersey Department of Education has stated, “The Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act (P.L.2010, c.122) requires that the week beginning with the first Monday in October of each year (October 3-7 in 2016) be designated as the Week of Respect in New Jersey. To recognize the importance of character education, school districts, charter schools and Renaissance school projects are required to observe the week by providing age-appropriate instruction focusing on preventing HIB (harassment, intimidation, and bullying).”

At Colonia High School, students of Mrs. Allen’s journalism class tweeted about bullying in order to promote the event, and spread awareness. Tweets included statistics, prevention, and support, all about stopping bullying.

During each day of the week, classes would do an activity revolving around a certain topic. On Tuesday, teachers shared something with their students that they didn’t know before so that the students would see them an individual and not as an authority figure.

For Wednesday’s activity, students wrote down what made them happy on an index card. On Thursday, students held a discussion on how to better themselves in order to better the community. And for Friday, teachers presented a slide show and asked their students which pictures made them most happy.

A video of the day and song of the day went along with each activity. A full list of the videos and songs linked here.

The Week of Respect may be a positive event with a good message, but many students feel that it doesn’t help stop bullying. When asked if the event helps stop bullying, 71% of the students in Mrs. Allen’s journalism class said no, 18% said yes, and 11% said they weren’t sure. One of the students even said, “It’s like the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. It brings awareness to bully prevention, but it doesn’t solve the problem.” Although students agree that the event doesn’t help prevent bullying, they do believe that bullying is wrong and should be stopped.

Despite most students’ beliefs about the event, many of the staff at CHS believe it does help. “I think we have to continue to be diligent, to do different things for students, to understand to be respectful as part of our character project, and yes I do think it makes a great impact in the building,” said Mr. Pace, principal of CHS.

Vice Principal of CHS, Mrs. Murphy agrees that the Week of Respect helps prevent bullying, “The Week of Respect is basically to give everyone the skills needed to stand up and not be a bystander.” She continues, “Our biggest focus this year was family. And already with the different activities we’ve been doing this week, we have seen good things happen. Kids are recognizing what’s wrong, they are standing up for themselves, they’re talking to adults, and that’s what we’re working towards.”

Whether you agree or disagree that the Week of Respect actually helps prevent bullying; it still promotes a good message. Bullying should not happen to any child. School is a place to learn and grow as a person, not a place to be afraid.