Members of Community District Education Council (CEC 22) held their monthly meeting on Tuesday evening, August 1st, at the District Office, located at 5619 Flatlands Avenue, which was streamed live via Zoom. With the new school year just around the corner, the group was eager to get to work on behalf of the community they represent and serve.
The group recognized that August is Bullying Prevention Month and discussed its prevalence among students of all ages and the tremendous impact it has upon kids, which can hardly be understated. They also explored the avenues through which families can handle such situations if they arise, namely the process that exists within the Department of Education (DOE).
The DOE encourages the parents or guardians of any student who is the target of bullying to report the incident to the school’s “Respect for All Liaison,” so that the administration can investigate and mediate the situation according to the “Discipline Code.” As one parent on the board explained, it is important to have such a process in place, but that in many cases, it is not enough and more can and should be done to protect students who are being bullied.
The group also discussed the upcoming Wellness Fair, the need for more academic, curriculum- based afterschool help, the new website they are developing and the early success of the new English Language Arts curriculum.
The next meeting of CEC 22 will be held on Tuesday, September 5th, at 6:30 p.m. Location will be announced at a later date.