Playground banner is the place to stand if you need a friend (Duluth, Minn., anti-bullying effort)

[Brickbat]

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/258774/

No playmates left behind at Duluth school

A new banner hanging inside Duluth’s Nettleton Elementary playground has become a place for students to go when they need a friend and a place to look for those who might be alone.

Fourth-grader Ezra Schomberg has stood by it twice.

“It wasn’t very fun, but I didn’t feel uncomfortable,” he said of the experience, which lasted about three minutes before a friend saw him standing there.

Schomberg said he thinks the banner is a good idea. Hung two weeks ago, the banner is part of the school’s ongoing bullying prevention efforts.

This school serves an often transient population and lots of kids are coming in and out of the student body throughout the year. Kids lose their friends or enter the school without knowing anybody. My adult mind wondered if this would simply highlight the kids who need a friend and make them targets, but the story reminds me that kids want to do the right thing and something like this makes it easy for them. I like the idea and hope other schools try it. And I have to say the story made this crabby-assed cynic tear up a little bit.

[abelenkpe]

1. K&R nt

[Sekhmets Daughter]

2. What a great idea.

Thanks for posting this.

[bvar22]

3. I love Duluth, Minn.

...and am not surprised to see this happening there.

Kudos to Duluth!

[Brickbat]

4. Kick for the afternoon crowd.