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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2016.01.20 - 22177MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION # 16011 BY: Commissioners Michael J. Gingell, District #1; David Woodward, District #19; Shelley Taub, District #12 IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS — PARTNERSHIP WITH OAKLAND SCHOOLS AND DEFEAT THE LABEL TO PROVIDE ANTI-BULLYING TRAINING FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen: WHEREAS emotionally secure and safe learning environments for children and adults contribute to a healthy and vibrant future for Oakland County; and WHEREAS bullying creates a climate of fear among students, inhibiting their ability to learn and contributing to other anti-social behaviors; and WHEREAS the U.S. Department of Education estimates that 160,000 students stay home every day due to bullying; and WHEREAS 1 in 4 children are bullied per month according to Department of Justice statistics; and WHEREAS as many as 1 in 10 children drop out of or change schools according to research conducted by the University Council for Educational Administration; and WHEREAS the Yale School of Medicine reports that there is now a strong connection between bullying, being bullied and suicide, with suicide continuing to be one of the leading causes of death for children under the age of 14; and WHEREAS according to recent statistics, revenge for bullying is one of the strongest motivations for school violence. Each month 282,000 students are reportedly attacked in high schools and 1 out of every 20 students has seen a student with a gun at school; and WHEREAS serious incidents in school districts throughout Oakland County have brought to light challenges facing local students: and WHEREAS the Board of Commissioners recognized the importance of tackling the issue of bullying by partnering with Oakland Schools in 2015 to provide expert training for local school administrators and teachers; and WHEREAS an opportunity exists to continue to effectively combat school bullying by extending training and awareness directly to students; and WHEREAS the non-profit Defeat the Label is taking the lead in providing anti-bullying education and team building with students in our County; and WHEREAS Defeat the Label's Upstander Program is designed to engage students in a meaningful, relevant conversation about negative social behaviors that lead to bullying within their school; and WHEREAS the Upstander Program's workshops facilitate the development of leadership abilities, critical thinking skills, and provide training in methods of effectively intervening in a bullying situation; and WHEREAS Defeat the Label is seeking a partnership to extend the Upstander Program to local middle schools that have been deemed as at-risk due to the number of school incidences of bullying or have received requests for support from school administrators; and WHEREAS this pilot program would provide training in targeted school districts representing the geographic and demographic diversity of the County; and WHEREAS Oakland Schools is willing to act as the administrator in a partnership to extend the Upstander Program to local middle schools; and WHEREAS this partnership with the Oakland Schools would provide a meaningful investment in Oakland County's future by fostering safe learning environments for children. WHEREAS funds are available in the assigned fund balance of the Board of Commissioners Special Projects Fund to cover the costs of the proposed pilot project. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners approves the Defeat the Label Upstander program partnership with Oakland Schools in an amount not to exceed $30,000. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the Board of Commissioners authorizes the Chairman of the Board to execute a contract for this program, subject to review by the Count Executive contract review process, and approve expenditures for this project. hairperson, I move adop n of the foregoing Resolution ,i o issioner 7d Woo•war. , District #19 Commissioner Sh District #12 Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner Commissioner District # District # Cornmissioner Commissioner District # District # Commissioner Commissioner District # District # Commissioner Commissioner District # District # Commissioner Commissioner District # District # Commissioner Commissioner District # District # Resolution #16011 January 20, 2016 The Vice Chairperson referred the resolution to the Finance Committee. There were no objections.