What should you do about bullying?

First we’ll have to define “you” and “bullying” if we’re going to discuss my question.

Is making bigoted comments a form of bullying?

If yes, should you always say something?
Cute video:

Other things to cover in the discussion:

1. Quote from this Psychology Today article

I have written about workplace bullying and bullying in schools. The incidents that I’ve heard and written about have not involved bullying toward specific groups of people, such as ethnic minorities or gay or lesbian individuals (although we know that this occurs with greater frequency), but persons from all walks of life who are singled out as targets of bullies.

2. Quotes from this article:

Helping kids to understand and identify bullying techniques early on in their lives is an important aspect of combating this problem. Young children, especially, should be encouraged to let their parents and teachers know when they are being harassed by other students. They should also be encouraged to expose cases of bullying when they see it happen to their peers.

Information about 1003.42

In 1994, the Florida Legislature passed the Holocaust Education Bill (SB 660) which amends Section 233.061 of the Florida Statutes (Chapter 94-14, Laws of Florida), relating to required instruction. The law requires all school districts to incorporate lessons on the Holocaust as part of public school instruction. The statute reads as follows:
The history of the Holocaust (1933-1945), the systematic planned annihilation of European Jews and other groups by Nazi Germany, a watershed event in the history of humanity, to be taught in a manner that leads to an investigation of human behavior, an understanding of the ramifications of prejudice, racism, and stereotyping, and an examination of what it means to be a responsible and respectful person, for the purposes of encouraging tolerance of diversity in a pluralistic society and for nurturing and protecting democratic values and institutions.

What do you think of this program to give voucher money to a kid that claims to have been bullied but leaves the bully in the public school? Why not spend money on reducing the bullying? Quote from this article:

The Florida Legislature passed a bill in 2018 that is the “first state-supported scholarship in America aimed at helping K-12 students victimized by bullying,” according to Step Up for Students [an organization that profits from administering state voucher programs].

A few quotes from this article

Bullying in schools, ranging from elementary to high school, has reached epidemic proportions. But bullying doesn’t stop there. Bullying in college, in the workplace, and against minority group members of all ages is rampant. …. What is being done about the bullying epidemic, and what can be done? … High-profile cases of bullied teens’ suicides, and now the instances of college bullying and hazing, are leading many schools to develop anti-bullying policies. … We need to rethink our attitudes toward bullying, and incivility in general. As parents, we need to ensure that we are not encouraging teasing and bullying behavior in our children. We need to support anti-bullying programs in our schools and workplaces. We simply need to be more respectful and tolerant of others, and of others’ differences. I find it ironic that the time, money, and energy spent on trying to stop gay marriage, is many times greater than the resources devoted to protecting LGBT persons from bullying. Resources:
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ss/se/bullyres.asp
http://www.workplacebullying.org/

Here is what the FLDOE says:
http://www.fldoe.org/newsroom/latest-news/commissioner-of-education-announces-enhanced-mental-health-requirements-for-florida-schools.stml

Here are my questions:
1. Is the state providing funding for this course?
2. If yes, is it adequate to hire specialized teachers?
3. Is this course required of all public schools? If yes, how are they defining public schools? Are they using DeSantis’s definition that any school that receives public funds is a public school so that charters and private schools that receive voucher money must also include this as a required class?
4. This class would be a great place to include some of the curriculum required in f.s. 1003.42(g). Is 1003.42(g) required of charter schools and private schools receiving voucher money? In case you don’t see the connection, 1003.42(g) also aims to reduce bullying.

Quote from News Service Florida article:
“TALLAHASSEE — Public schools will be required to teach students at least five hours of mental health instruction beginning in 6th grade, under a mandate approved by the state Board of Education Wednesday and hailed by Florida’s top educator as a “life saver.” The new requirement will require students to take courses aimed at helping them to identify the signs and symptoms of mental illness, find resources if they are battling with depression or other issues, and teach them how to help peers who are struggling with a mental health disorder. The five-hour minimum will be included in curriculums for grades 6-12. “We know that 50 percent of all mental illness cases begin by age 14, so we are being proactive in our commitment to provide our kids with the necessary tools to see them through their successes and challenges,” DeSantis, the mother of two young children, said in a statement. “Providing mental health instruction is another important step forward in supporting our families.” Under the new rule, school districts will be able to choose the types of classes children will be required to take, according to Department of Education spokeswoman Cheryl Etters. The instruction includes courses about cyberbullying, suicide prevention and the impact of substance abuse.