WFSB Channel 3Students take a stand against bullying

Students take a stand against bullying

Some 350 high school and middle school students from 22 different districts spent Tuesday morning inside the State Armory, each one taking part in the Connecticut Kid's Speak, a program designed to get students to speak out against bullying and discrimination.

"Research says if someone is doing it and someone stands up and says, 'hey, that's not cool,' 80 percent of the time that person stops," said Lisa Reigning, with the Governor's Prevention Partnerships.

The goal was to show the students from suburban, urban and rural school districts that they're more alike than they are different.

The panel featured a number of speakers, including Ronald Bair, a junior at Newington High School who said he once had watermelon and bananas thrown at him.

 "It's not just about you, but also the others around you.  Everyone deserves a chance to go to school in an environment that's safe, without bullying, racism, or discrimination," Bair said. 

In addition to listening to the speakers and the first-hand accounts, the students headed over to the Legislative Office Building for breakout sessions, taking part in a number of exercises and peer dialogue scenarios.

 "You just have to talk to the person it's happening to, see what's going on and talk to an adult," said Avery Casasanta, a student at Chippen Hill Middle School.

 Cheryl Sharp with Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities said awareness and education is a start to end bullying.

"Teaching students how to resolve conflict, have a voice,  and use that voice to stand up to discrimination, stand up to bullying and work together," Sharp said.

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