School District Encourages Entire Community to Unify Behind Unity Day and Support Anti-Bullying Efforts

Wear orange, share orange, and send out a visible message on Wednesday, Oct. 18, to join Unity Day and say that no child should ever experience bullying.

This is the message that the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) is sending out to the local community as it joins a nationwide celebration aimed at promoting kindness, acceptance, and inclusion in order to prevent bullying. 

As a part of the event, PUSD is encouraging community members to seek out  various ways they can be part of Unity Day.

According to recent research, one in five school-age children in the United States reports being bullied at school. 

Individuals, schools, communities, and businesses are encouraged to come together and unite against bullying and to spread the message of kindness and acceptance in order to prevent incidents of bullying.

Unity Day has been the flagship event of October as National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month since 2011. Unity Day comes on the third or fourth Wednesday of October.

The Indicators of School Crime and Safety report published by the National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice in 2019, along with the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reveal that approximately 20% of students aged 12 to 18 experience bullying. 

Moreover, the same report said bullied students feel that those who bully them hold more social influence, physical strength, and financial resources.

Unity Day was initially started in Minnesota by PACER (Parent Advocacy Coalition for Education Rights Center), an organization that has been advocating for children’s rights since the late 1970s. The National Bullying Prevention Center, a branch of PACER, was established in 2006. The center actively works towards preventing childhood bullying and supports a safe and inclusive environment for all students, both online and offline.

PACER provides various resources for students, parents, educators, and the community at large. Through these resources, PACER aims to promote conversation about bullying and to inspire communities to foster kindness and inclusion. These resources also guide educators for appropriate classroom activities and offer informative guides for parents about bullying prevention. 

One very visible and lasting way to show solidarity with the anti-bullying campaign is to “Take the Pledge,” PACER says. It means to make a commitment to support others who have been hurt or harmed, treat others with kindness, be more accepting of people’s differences, and help include those who are left out. 

To Take the Pledge, visit https://www.pacerkidsagainstbullying.org/join-the-cause/take-the-pledge/. 

To support Unity Day, various activities can be organized, such as Unity Tree, an interactive visual experience for students and individuals to learn the importance of preventing bullying for all students. To know about Unity Tree, visit https://www.pacer.org/bullying/classroom/schoolwide/unity-tree.asp. 

Project Connect encourages students to create a visual statement by writing a message on an orange strip of paper and linking the strips to create one long chain visually representing unity for a common cause. Visit https://www.pacer.org/bullying/classroom/schoolwide/project-connect.asp for more about Project Connect. 

Community members can also convey “Unity Messages” by tying orange ribbons to lockers, fences, or walls, while a “Unity Focal Point” can be designated within the school or grounds for decorating in orange. 

Another suggestion for Unity Day is to organize a Unity Parade, where students can create banners and signs promoting kindness and acceptance. 

Lastly, “Unity Murals” can be created to showcase the importance of unity and kindness.

Additional information and resources can be found on PACER’s website for those interested in joining Unity Day. Visit www.pacer.org/bullying/nbpm/unity-day.asp for more information.