September 11, 2003

Human Rights Center, Boise State Students Tackle Bullying in Schools

Some Boise State University students have partnered with the Idaho Human Rights Education Center to kick off a project to help stop bullying in Idaho's schools. The students will gather with teachers, counselors and students at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 12, at  North Jr. High, 1105 N. 13th St. in Boise, to hang posters with the caption “Bullying Has Never Been Cool.” The project was the idea of several students from Boise State University's service learning program, including Roy Atkinson, Steven Dennis, James Kelly and Taya Sundell. As a service learning project for a history class, students researched how bullying has taken place over the last five decades and integrated this information into a cartoon poster to reach kids. The artist for the posters was Boise State student Dave Habben. “Bullying is a major challenge in our schools,” said Les Bock, Executive Director of the Idaho Human Rights Education Center. “The Idaho Human Rights Education Center and the Boise School District have begun an initiative to stop it. We all remember the taunts, shame and pain of being the victim of bullies.  We at the Human Rights Education Center feel that it is time to deliver a clear message that bullying is unacceptable.  Everyone has a right to be treated with respect and dignity and to feel safe.” Boise State has an active service learning program through which students, faculty and community agencies partner to address community problems while enhancing academic learning. This project is a collaboration of the Idaho Human Rights Education Center, Boise State University service learning program, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Boise School District. The Idaho Human Rights Education Center’s mission is to promote respect for human dignity and diversity through education and to foster individual responsibility to work for justice and peace.  The Center sponsors human rights education programs for all ages. -30- Contact                              Les Bock Idaho Human Rights Education Center executive director 208 345-0304 lesbock@idaho-humanrights.org Kara Hartmann Boise State service learning coordinator 208 426-2380 khartman@boisestate.edu Media Contact Sherry Squires Boise State communications and marketing 208 426-1563 ssquires@boisestate.edu