Day of presentations and parent session organized by local AmeriCorps members
Dignity, honor, respect. Those three words were the key concepts when Michael Dorn, a school safety expert and executive director of Safe Havens International, spoke to students and staff at several schools last Thursday. Dorn, who traveled from his home in Juliet, Georgia for a full day of sessions and an evening talk for parents, made bullying the focus of his presentations.
"Every school in this nation can be a place of dignity, honor, and respect," Dorn insisted. "The way students treat each other, the way teachers treat students, the ways in which an administration treats staff and in every case, it should reflect the dignity of individuals and a sense of mutual respect."
The presentations, hosted by Oregon Davis High School, South Central High School, and Westville High School, were made possible by a grant and donations from each of the participating schools. AmeriCorps member Jeannie Smith applied for the grant from the Unity Foundation and members Krista Howe and Shannon Mellgren organized the day long series of talks at the Indiana schools, as well as a community dinner with food donated by Birky Farms. The entire project was organized by AmeriCorps members who are part of the Porter County AmeriCorps Partnership, an outreach of United Way of Porter County.
Students were rapt as Dorn told the story of his own victimization as an elementary school student. Tortured by the school bully, Dorn suffered fear, humiliation, and declining academic achievement until he was "rescued by teachers and students who cared." A dyslexic who had difficulties learning to read, Dorn has triumphed as the author or co-author of 26 books on school safety and related issues. His book "Weak Fish" chronicles many of his own experiences and describes the syndrome in which bullies, whom Dorn dubs "barracudas," prey on the weaker fish in schools and communities. Between 12 and 18 percent of bullied students never report it nor do they confide in a parent or teacher, he revealed.
"Inside many 50 year old people is a lot of pain," Dorn remarked. "If you get grown adults talking about school bullying experiences, the tears and the hurt are still there. The effects can last forever."
Dorn's presentation on bully behavior and impacts was interspersed with information on how schools can promote safer environments. From watchful behavior to proper training to schools that are clean and attractive, many initiatives can help turn violence-prone places into safe havens, he said.
"We were delighted we could get the support to bring Michael Dorn to Indiana again," said Mellgren, whose AmeriCorps assignment is to mentor students at South Central. "His message to students and how he helps them understand the consequences of their actions is very personal and very powerful."
Dorn has visited Indiana several times. In 2010, he made presentations in Greensburg, Indiana.
In addition to books, Dorn has also authored hundreds of articles and columns for School Planning and Management, Campus Safety, Today's School, School Transportation News and College Planning and Management magazines. Sought out as a neutral and qualified expert, Michael has been featured on 20/20, CNN, Good Morning America, MSNBC, and ABC World News Tonight, and has been interviewed by the BBC, New York Times, Time Magazine, Tokyo Broadcasting, and hundreds of other media organizations. His work as the head of Safe Havens has taken him to Mexico, Canada, Central America, Europe, South Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
"The question is always: what are we going to tolerate?" said Dorn. "Schools should be bully-free places, and they can be, when students and staff work together to create environments that are safe and nurturing."
Photo: School safety and bullying expert Michael Dorn, who heads Safe Havens International, with AmeriCorps members Krista Howe (left) who serves at Westville High School and Shannon Mellgren who works with students at South Central High School.