Everyone has been taunted or teased in school at one time or another. We all remember what it feels like to be put down or embarrassed in front of our friends and peers. Whether made fun of be for your height, weight, taste in music, sexual orientation or simply for being different it’s never a good feeling to be made fun of. James Howe’s book “The Misfits,” which depicts a group of teased kids banning together to make a change in their school, inspired the start of what we know today as GLSEN’s No Name-Calling Week. If we ban together like the group in the book, we can make a difference around bullying in schools today.

No Name-Calling Week asks schools across the nation to focus on the problem of name-calling that continues in their classrooms and hallways each and every day. As part of this week, GLSEN is providig students, parents and educators with detailed resources, activities and tools to help create dialogue about ways to eliminate name-calling in their communities.

This years theme is “Creative Expression”

In addition to encouraging classrooms to use their activity guides, GLSEN will put together their own exhibition of entries this year titled “365 Days of Respect.” GLSEN encourages youth to submit original artistic pieces focusing on their feelings around name-calling (in all mediums) before March 2nd. They will feature one per day on their website and all who participate will be entered to win prizes throughout the year.

Interested in participating in No Name-Calling Week?

Visit NoNameCallingWeek.org to download free resources and lesson plans or order a resource kit for your school or community.

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