Printer-friendly versionPerhaps your school has had a sudden change in demographics that has led to tension, or maybe ethnic hostility is an old problem. Either way, a strong—and evolving—anti-bullying policy can go a long way towards creating a learning environment that nurtures all of your students.
• Disseminate the schools’ anti-bullying policy—including a section on national-origin-based harassment—to all staff, students, parents and community members at the start of the school year. Don’t forget to print it in multiple languages.
• Administer an annual student survey on school climate—such as Teaching Tolerance’s School Climate Survey—and use the results of the survey to identify and address issues related to harassment, including national-origin-based harassment. Again, be sure to provide the survey in multiple languages.
• Hold community meetings with interpreters present at least twice each year to provide information regarding registration/enrollment and communication services and to receive input from LEP parents and community members.
• Develop cultural sensitivity training for all instructional staff, cafeteria staff, bus drivers, school office staff and school-level administrators.
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Build a strong relationship with the community.
• Involve families in events such as Teaching Tolerance's Mix It Up at Lunch Day to break down cultural barriers.
• Encourage teachers to make periodic home visits
• Invite families to share their cultures with students either in the classroom or at a special afterschool event
• You can download everything you need to host a Mix It Up at Lunch Day event here.
