No-Name Calling Week at MS, HS

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Students at both BCMS and BCHS recently participated in the nationwide No Name-Calling Week, which took place during the month of January to draw attention to the use of bullying language, slurs and stereotypes in our schools. The collaborative effort was sponsored by the high school’s Genders and Sexualties Alliance (GSA) and the middle school’s Pride Coalition.

To combat name-calling at the schools, the groups set up tables at both schools for students to get more information and become involved.

At the middle school, students put kindness into action by using the hashtag #KindnessInAction on stickers and signs. Students could stop at a table during lunch and pick up a blank sticker and write something kind. They were encouraged to give that sticker to a friend or someone they did not know.

Some of the feedback from the middle school students included:

• “It was really nice to see kids wearing words of kindness and to have a good attitude about it.”
• “Even if everyone didn’t participate it was nice to see people react when they got a compliment… almost like they didn’t expect it.”
• “Kindness if Free and everyone should have access to it.”

At the high school, students were given the opportunity to identify the words they use to describe themselves with many choosing to wear name tags or use signs to let others know the empowering words that best describes them. Club advisors and club members discussed what it means to be unique and proud of the labels and identities that we all hold. In doing so, the students and staff were able to highlight the damage that can be done when someone applies labels to another person without that person’s permission.

BCHS Senior and GSA President Sarah Cohen said, “It’s been kind of fun having people come up to the table and think of words that describe them in positive ways.”