The Christian Science Monitor – Olivia Lowenberg
“A workshop promising to deliver on anti-bullying measures recently had the exact opposite effect at a Pennsylvania middle school, parents say. In the so-called Kindness Workshop, students at the West Allegheny Middle School in Imperial, Pa., were asked highly personal questions about themselves and their families that parents say exposed them to ridicule from their classmates. The questions varied, but included asking the students about their religious backgrounds and their family finances. The program was intended to promote empathy among students, a goal set by many schools across the United States as faculty and students strive to reduce bullying both on and off campus. The dispute over the Kindness Workshop highlights one of the key challenges of any anti-bullying program: getting kids to buy in.”(more)