Vermont Narratives for Change
Vermont Business Magazine A diverse coalition of Vermont organizations, including the Vermont Human Rights Commission, Outright Vermont, Neighbors for a Safer St. Albans, The Root Social Justice Center, ACLU of Vermont, Rutland NAACP, The Education Justice Coalition, the Vermont Center for Independent Living, All Brains Belong, Youth 4 Change, the Network against Domestic Violence, and the Vermont Student Anti-Racism Network is announcing the launch of a new storytelling project to illuminate, document, and address the pervasive issue of harassment and bullying in Vermont's Pre K-12 education system.
The coalition is committed to fostering a safe and inclusive platform for students and their parents/caregivers to share their personal experiences of hazing, bullying, and harassment. By capturing these narratives directly from those affected, the project will support ongoing efforts to advocate for change both at the local school level and across the entire state. The goal is to ensure the implementation of policies that protect the well-being and dignity of all students, regardless of their backgrounds and identities.
The recent YRBS results have illuminated the concerning prevalence of bullying and harassment among our youth, with far-reaching implications for students' mental health, academic performance, and school engagement. Furthermore, the inaccessibility of data from the Agency of Education to our community members prevents a complete understanding of the extent of this problem in our state. Urgent action is imperative to address this issue and create a safer, more supportive environment for our students.
"We firmly believe that every voice matters in the pursuit of meaningful change," said Addie Lentzner, a member of the coalition from the Vermont Student Anti-Racism Network. "Through this collective storytelling endeavor, we hope to foster connections and validation that can facilitate a healing process for those who have experienced harassment and bullying. By understanding these experiences firsthand, we can empower ourselves to drive positive transformations in our educational institutions."
The coalition's "Vermont Narratives for Change: A Storytelling Campaign against Harassment, Hazing & Bullying invites students and their parents/caregivers to share their stories through a secure and confidential form, an interview with one of our members or small group discussion. Participants will have the option to decide how their information is used at the end of the survey, ensuring utmost privacy and data security.
Source: Vermont Human Rights Commission. Montpelier, VT — October 3, 2023 https://vtnarratives4change.
