Hundreds Of Local Students Take Stand Against Bullying
DETROIT (WWJ) - Students from all over the United States and metro Detroit are standing up against bullying on national Stand 4 Change day.
More than 700 students, parents and staff at Orchard Lake Middle School in West Bloomfield showed their committment to end bullying by screening the acclaimed documentary, "Bully."
The 12-year-old Avery Ribiat, who has been a victim of bullying since kindergarten, was moved by the film.
"It was kind of sad because people didn't do anything, and that's happened to me, I've been bullied," she said. "I thought everything was going to be better. After elementary schools I thought middle should would be better. But it wasn't. It was just more kids and more pain."
Seventh grader Ben Goldman has witnessed bullying and was a victim of it as well. "It didn't feel good, but then it got taken care of," Goldman said.
Principal of Orchard Lake Middle School Sonya James said that Stand 4 Change is the culmination of what they've worked towards all year. She said that the school has worked with groups including Anti-Defamation League and Defeat the Label in the effort to stop bullying.
According to Ribiat, things have improved at her school, but she hopes that all kids get the anti-bullying message.
