By Gary Lloyd
Bullying is not accepted at Paine Intermediate School in Trussville.
The fourth-grade students at the school ended their Civil Rights movement unit of study with a protest against bullying Friday.
“These students have witnessed bullying firsthand and want to put a stop against it,” said fourth-grade teacher Rebekah Tomlinson.
Tomlinson said the students know the best way to protest something is nonviolently, so they created banners, signs and flyers that displayed their opinions of bullying
. Some signs read “Stop Being a Bully, Start Being a Friend” and “Let’s Cheer! Bullying Is Not Accepted Here!”
Paine Intermediate third- and fifth-graders sat outside and watched as the fourth-graders marched around the courtyard, voicing their opinions about bullying.
“Their hope is that bullies will learn that bullying hurts, and that students who are watching bullying happen but are not doing anything about it will begin to stand up for what’s right and not accept the bullying,” Tomlinson said.
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.