If you didn’t have the opportunity to see Bully when it was in movie theaters last year, you will soon have the chance to add it to your home or school library. The film’s producers have announced that Bully is being released on DVD and Blu-Ray on February 12th, giving it widespread availability for the first time since its limited movie theater release in 2012.
Though the publicity surrounding the movie has waned over the months, most parents, students and teachers would agree that the issue remains, both in schools and online. There is still a need for continued discussion around bullying prevention and eradication. In addition to the usual childhood battlegrounds of school hallways, buses and Facebook pages, new social media technologies, such as Snapchat, are continuing to be developed that create fresh opportunities for abuse and disrespect.
In the months since Bully’s theater release, the film’s creators have continued their campaign of awareness, education and support at TheBullyProject.com. There you can find a complete viewing and discussion guide for the film as well as educational toolkits for parents, educators, and families with children with special needs, and a community action guide for students who are ready to join the movement against bullying.
Please consider viewing the film with your family, and visit TheBullyProject.com and Stopbullying.gov to assist you with your ongoing conversations on bullying. Also consider talking with your children’s schools, churches, scout troops and sports organizations about organizing a Bully screening. This film is truly an effective tool for starting a dialogue on the subject and creating some real, positive change for our children.
You can pre-order now at Amazon.com.
Are your kids getting tired of talking about bullying? After months of high-profile press on the issue, overuse of the word can cause kids to drown out the conversation. But don’t let that stop you from talking about it. Try leaving the word “bullying” out of it and talk about specifics. If you ask a room full of high school students if they’ve been bullied lately, you probably won’t see many hands shoot up. If you ask specific questions like, “Has anyone called you a derogatory name recently? Have you noticed anyone being ostracized at school? Have you heard mean rumors going around? Do you see people texting/Snapchatting hurtful pictures of others?” you’re going see some hands go up and now you’ve got a conversation going.
