Ulster County Executive Mike Hein Proclaims The Week of January 18th As No Name-Calling Week In Ulster County And Proposes A Local Law To Prevent Cyberbullying

Posted January 19, 2016

Celebrating Kindness Quilt Created By Area Youth Will Be Displayed In The Lobby Of The Ulster County Office Building To Highlight The Week

Proposed Legislation Protects Youth From The Serious Issue Of Cyberbullying

Kingston, NY – County Executive Mike Hein proclaimed the week of January 18th No Name-Calling Week in Ulster County while introducing a local law to protect youth from the serious issue of Cyberbullying.  He was joined by Dr. Carol Smith, Ulster County Commissioner of Health and Mental Health; Vanessa Shelmandine, the Director of Programs and Services at the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center; James Delaune, Ulster County Legislator; Ellen Pendegar, Chief Executive Officer of the Mental Health Association of Ulster County, Inc.; Evelyn Clarke, Director of the Ulster County Youth Bureau together with members from the Ulster County Youth Board; as well as representatives from the New Progressive Baptist Church.  No Name-Calling Week (NNCW) is a national bullying prevention campaign developed by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and is co-sponsored by the Safe Schools Round Table of the Hudson Valley.   The focus is to “Celebrate Kindness” while working to create safe schools free from name-calling, bullying and bias.  This is the 6th consecutive year that Ulster County is participating in No Name-Calling Week.  To highlight No Name-Calling Week, the County Executive collaborated with local youth groups and students, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of Kingston, the New Progressive Baptist Church, and the Kingston High School Gay Straight Alliance in order to create a quilt compiled of individual squares designed with messages of celebrating kindness and ending bullying and name-calling.

“I am pleased to participate once again with the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center in Kingston and the Safe Schools Round Table of the Hudson Valley to address the serious issue of bullying,” said County Executive Mike Hein.  “I appreciate the efforts of all of the youth who participated in creating this amazing Quilt which displays the importance of celebrating kindness and that bulling is not acceptable.  Bullying is very real and is a problem which not only affects the students involved but their teachers and families as well.  In the United States, statistics show that one out of four children is bullied on a daily basis.  There are many different forms of bullying such as name-calling, attacking someone physically, or cyberbullying.  It is important for children to know that they are not alone, and for people to know there are resources available in UlsterCounty which speak to bullying issues.” 

“One type of bullying, Cyberbullying, is becoming more and more prevalent with the advancements in technology and the speed in which information moves today,” said County Executive Hein.  “Cyberbullying happens when a child or teenager is harassed, embarrassed, threatened, humiliated or tormented using digital technology which can include the internet and text messaging through mobile devices.  This behavior can be devastating to the victim and their family, and can lead to anxiety, depression, and in severe cases suicide. Statistics show that approximately forty-two percent of children have been bullied online with one in four being verbally attacked more than once, thirty-five percent of children have been threatened online, and over twenty-five percent of adolescents and teens have been bullied repeatedly through their cell phones or the Internet.  To address this serious issue, I am proposing important legislation as a tool for law enforcement to hold those who are engaging in Cyberbullying accountable.  Our children are precious and it is important that they know that there is help and protection available to address Cyberbullying in Ulster County.”

This new local law will fill in the gaps left by current Cyberbullying legislation by providing a mechanism for law enforcement agencies to charge those who engage in Cyberbullying activities aimed at inflicting emotional harm on minors.  In addition, this legislation will protect all minors, not just students, and will protect children at all times regardless of educational environment.  Aimed at addressing the serious effects that Cyberbullying can have on a minor, the proposed law includes a $1,000 fine or up to one year in jail.

Vanessa Shelmandine, Project Director of the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center

“The Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center, the largest LGBTQ civil rights organization serving the mid-Hudson Valley since 2005, is proud once again to partner with Ulster County Executive Mike Hein and our local students in recognizing “No Name-Calling Week,” said Vanessa Shelmandine, Director of Program and Services at the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center.   “This annual anti-bullying event, which started nationally in 2003, was brought to our region by GLSEN Hudson Valley.  No Name-Calling Week encourages us to celebrate and practice kindness with our words. We applaud the County Executive for including safety and respect for all in his initiative to make Ulster County the healthiest County in New York State.” 

Rob Conlon, Co-Chair, GLSEN Hudson Valley

“GLSEN Hudson Valley supports schools in eradicating bullying and harassment through programs like No Name-Calling Week. We are thrilled to have Ulster County Executive Mike Hein as a partner in this critical work,” said Rob Conlon, Co-Chair of GLSEN Hudson Valley.  “His leadership models the promise of No Name-Calling Week. When we Celebrate Kindness we create healthy, safe, and respectful schools for all students in Ulster County.”

Amy Kapes, LMSW, Kingston High School Social Worker

"KHS is very excited to be part of County Executive Hein’s effort to raise awareness about bullying and LGBTQ issues,” said Amy Kapes, LMSW, Kingston High School Social Worker.  “We are proud of our community and leaders for their commitment and concern for our youth and hope that Ulster County continues to be at the forefront of creating safe schools for ALL children.”

According to BullyingStatistics.Org:

  • Bullying can include various types of behavior from physical attacks, to destroying one's personal property or clothing, verbal abuse, starting rumors, and name-calling;   
  • One of four children will be bullied sometime throughout their adolescence;
  • About 77 percent of students have admitted to being the victim of one form of bullying or another;
  • Approximately 56 percent of all students have witnessed a bullying crime take place while at school;
  • About 42 percent of students have been bullied while online;
  • Over 25% of adolescents and teens have been bullied repeatedly through their cell phones or the internet; and
  • There is a strong connection between bullying, being bullied and suicide, according to a study from the Yale School of Medicine.  Suicide continues to be one of the leading causes of death among children under the age of 14 and “bullycide” is a term used to describe suicide as the result of bullying.

Cyberbullying can take many forms:

  • Sending mean messages or threats to a person’s email account or cell phone;
  • Spreading rumors online or through texts;
  • Posting hurtful or threatening messages on social networking sites or web pages;
  • Stealing a person’s account information to break into their account and send damaging messages;
  • Pretending to be someone else online to hurt another person;
  • Taking unflattering pictures of a person and spreading them through cell phones or the Internet; and
  • Sexting, or circulating sexually suggestive pictures or messages about a person.

In past years, Ulster County has highlighted NNCW by creating bullying prevention videos for middle school students and elementary school students which can be seen on the Ulster County website www.ulstercountyny.gov or on YouTube at http://youtu.be/_eTPNXCVRHg and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a8iJAP8Gys. To learn more about NNCW please visit http://www.glsen.org/nonamecallingweek or http://lgbtqcenter.org/safe-schools-round-table/.

Anti- Bullying and Bullying Prevention Resources in Ulster County:

 

Attachments:  1) Summary of Anti-Cyberbullying Legislation; 2)Proposed Anti-Bullying Local Law   

Pictured Above: (From Left) – Kristen Gumaer, Assistant County Attorney; Dr. Carol Smith, Commissioner of Health and Mental Health; County Executive Mike Hein; Vanessa  Shelmandine, Project Director of the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center;  Evelyn Clarke, Director of the Youth Bureau; Ulster County Legislator James Delaune; and Robert Fisher, Assistant County Attorney.  Children from the New Progressive Baptist Church (from left): Ariana Bevier, Jasmin Bevier, Naima Correa, Jaazi Herbert, Saniya Williams, and Savana Williams (with County Executive).

 

Document: 
PDF icon Summary of Anti-Cyberbullying Legislation.pdf
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