A Clinton School student partnered with Just Communities of Arkansas to assist in making sure the state’s anti-bullying policies were being implemented in its programming.
Clinton School student Jasmine Medley of Little Rock partnered with Just Communities of Arkansas, a not for profit organization that works with different ethnic, religious and age groups in the Central Arkansas area to embrace differences and teach acceptance. Formerly called the National Conference for Community and Justice of Arkansas, the organization carries out programming to help build mutual respect between all groups.
In addition to studying Arkansas law, Medley researched anti-bullying regulations across the country and highlighted exemplary programs and organizations that are making a notable impact on the fight against bullying.
“In the past few years, bullying has come into the forefront of what is happening in American schools, and for me, it is important to see how we can make a difference in my home state,” Medley said. “If we can teach students to appreciate each other and stand up for what is right, then learning environments can be just that, and not places where students are scared or uncomfortable.”
The first phase of the project included research and reading about what other states’ legislation says about bullying. Forty-nine of the nation’s 50 states have anti-bullying laws and many of them give school districts the power to come up with policies to deal with bullying — what consequences students face if they are bullying, how teachers must report incidences of bullying, and what steps to take after occurrences.
While researching other states, Medley was able to observe some of JCA’s elementary school programming, which provided strong information that helped form recommendations she had for the organization. Over the course of the project, Medley found a pattern of what tools would be most and least beneficial to the students that JCA serves.
“We are delighted that Medley’s research confirms the way our youth programs address bullying – not only our methodology, but also our viewpoint that bullying is not exclusively a behavioral problem on the part of the individual bully. It is systemic, and requires a whole-school approach,” said Andrea Gómez, youth programs director for JCA.
Medley completed the project as the final Capstone requirement in Clinton School’s Master of Public Service degree program.
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