HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2018.10.10 - 23825MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION #18350
BY: Commissioners Michael J. Gingell, District #1; David Woodward, District #19;
IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS — RENEWED PARTNERSHIP WITH OAKLAND SCHOOLS TO
PREVENT SCHOOL BULLYING
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; and
WHEREAS serious incidents in school districts throughout Oakland County and the United States have
brought to light challenges facing local students; and
WHEREAS the Board of Commissioners recognizes the importance of tackling the issue of bullying and
has partnered with Oakland Schools in the past to provide expert training for local school administrators
and teachers, this successful partnership has resulted in 1,030+ educators and community stakeholders
benefiting from anti-bullying training; and
WHEREAS schools that have implemented the Bully-Free Schools strategies report up to an 83%
reduction in bullying, harassment and other peer-to-peer aggression; and
WHEREAS an opportunity exists to build upon the success of anti-bullying programs, through a
partnership with Oakland Schools, that will allow for greater participation and extensive training; and
WHEREAS continued investment in effective training to combat school bullying will assist in the transition
from reactive strategies to proactive prevention in schools; and
WHEREAS early intervention and prevention is a wise investment that will reduce the overall cost to
taxpayers in the long term by avoiding future expenses triggered by bullying incidents that lead to
extensive mental health care and social support needs; and
WHEREAS the Board of Commissioners partnership with the Oakland Schools would provide a
meaningful investment in Oakland County's future by fostering safe learning environments for children;
and
WHEREAS the National Association of Counties recognized the unique value of this partnership by
awarding the Oakland County Board of Commissioners an Achievement Award in 2017.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners authorizes the
renewal of a partnership with Oakland Schools to provide anti-bullying training for educators/school
administrators and engage students and the community directly to promote awareness and
understanding of how to combat bullying in schools for the one-time amount of $50,000.
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 County Executive contract review process,
and approve expenditures for this project.
Chairperson, I move the adoption of the foregoing Resolu
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Commissioner David Wdadward
District #19
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Resolution #18350 October 10, 2018
The Chairperson referred the resolution to the Finance Committee. There were no objections.