Bullying, no way to have your say

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JUNE 2016 | Marguerite McNeill

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DELORAINE PRIMARY School students have taken a stand against bullying by signing a pledge with their hands.

Every child in the school placed a handprint signature on one of two murals designed by parent and local artist Fiona Francois and then painted with the help of parents and friends.

Reinforced by a message reading ‘Bullying - No Way’, the murals that overlook the infant play area and upper primary grounds serve as a reminder that bullying is unacceptable behaviour and will not be tolerated.

The fun of leaving a lasting handprint on the wall appears to have made a significant imprint on many students’ minds and already some cases of bullying have been diverted with relative ease.

Absent on the day of ‘signing’, sisters Matilda and Mackenzie Green were happy for the opportunity to add their handprints to the wall and agreed that the project was a good idea.

“I used to get bullied a lot,” one said.

“I’d tell them (the bullies) to stop and then walk away.”

But now, she refers to the signature mural and questions “Why?”

Shamed by seeing the wall of handprints (including their own) the bullies are often the ones to stop and walk away.

The student leadership group agreed that the mural is helping maintain a happy playground.

They believed that the signature handprints reminded everyone that bullying was wrong and said it was good to take a unified stand.

Deloraine Primary teacher Justine Page who led the project, said that it was organised in response to the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence.

She said that the murals are part of a wider program that encourage respect and cooperation amongst the young people.

And while the handprint pledges are still quite fresh, the message they portray is never ending.

[udesign_icon_font name="fa fa-camera" color="#000000"] Mike Moores