Bullycide Project: Tales Of Bullying Brought To The Stage

DEARBORN (WWJ) - Being bullied in school is no longer being shrugged off as simply part of growing up.

WWJ Newsradio 950's Pat Sweeting,  stopped by Dearborn High School Friday where students are getting a reminder of just how damaging bullying can be.

Through a stage performance called Bullycide Project teens are introduced to stories about young people who may have been bullied or witnessed bullying, they are urged to be 'upstanders' and to speak out against bullying.

Laurie Thompson is Artistic Director of the Trust Theatre Ensemble and the Bullycide Project which targets how bullying can lead to suicide.

"There are comments, there are physical actions, things that can be done in the hallway, locker room, cafeteria, but also in cyber bullying situations through texting, computers, and social networks," said Thompson.

Thompson recommends that parents look for signs of bullying - becoming withdrawn is often a symptom.

"When you look at statistics and you find that you have 19,000 suicide attempts and 4,400 in 2010 were successful you start to look at a different picture," said Oussama Baydoun - Assistant Principal at Dearborn High School.

There is a strong anti-bullying inititive is now in place in a special presentation called the 'Bullycide Project'.

"How far can bullying go? Sometimes our kids are not even a aware that they are having that impact," said Baydoun.

Bullycide Project is based on a book called "Bullycide In America" stories from mothers' whose children have committed suicide.