The upcoming release of DEAR BULLY (HarperTeen, September 2011) couldn’t come at a better time for internet sensation Rebecca Black. Black, who became a YouTube star when she released “FRIDAY” was the subject of such severe bullying by her classmates that her mother decided to pull her out of school and begin homeschooling. She is not alone. It has been reported that Christina Aguilera and Jessica Alba also experienced relentless bullying at school.
Bullying is an issue that continues to affect millions of lives and the statistics are scary:
-Every 7 minutes a child is bullied.
-5.7 million teens are bullied or have bullied someone.
-1 out of 4 kids is bullied.
-77% of students said they had been bullied.
-Bully victims are between 2 and 9 times more likely to consider suicide than non-victims.
-Nearly 30 percent of students are either bullies or victims of bullying.
-160,000 kids stay home from school every day because of fear of bullying.
-Bullying is increasingly viewed as an important contributor to youth violence, including homicide and suicide.
-Nearly 300,000 students are physically attacked in secondary schools each month.
-Every 7 minutes a child is bullied. Adult intervention- 4%. Peer intervention- 11%. No intervention – 85%
The young adult authors (70 of them!) who joined together for DEAR BULLY are hoping to provide a safe and supportive place for victims of bullying through their personal stories and anecdotes. A portion of the proceeds from DEAR BULLY (edited by Megan Kelley Hall and Carrie Jones) is going to the anti-bullying organization Stomp Out Bullying (stompoutbullying.org). These essays will show children, as well as adults, that it is possible to rise above bullying and succeed. It seems that Rebecca is doing just that because over the weekend she won the Teen Choice Award for Best Web Star.
What’s amazing to me is the adults who choose to ignore bullying. My son told me some stories about his middle school years and I asked him what the teachers did and he said – “Nothing, they didn’t care.”
Adult intervention is only 4%! That is just terrifying.
No arguments from me
One teen and his mission to stand up to bullying!
QUINTES QUE AUSTIN
ANTI-BULLY SONG “Can’t Keep Runnin’ Away BY: Quintes Que Austin
“CAN’T KEEP RUNNIN AWAY” Anti-Bully Song : speaks of the horrors faced each day by young teens all across the world as they deal with the heart wrenching effects of “BULLYING and CHILD MOLESTATION”.
“CAN’T KEEP RUNNIN’ AWAY” (Official Video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IEFkAAayLY&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Que has appeared in Ebony, Jet and Billboard magazines. He was also interviewed for a special segment of BET News, and his video for the song “CAN’T KEEP RUNNIN’ AWAY”, featuring Patrice Downey, was aired on BET’s popular video show “106 & Park”- http://youtu.be/iGEsG6L2zmU – some major placements for a independent artist without a major-label deal.
— Born and raised in Milwaukee Wisconsin, QUE wrote and recorded the song entitled “CAN’T KEEP RUNNIN AWAY” that speaks of the horrors faced each day by young teens all across the world as they deal with the heart wrenching effects of “BULLYING and CHILD MOLESTATION”.
With his heartfelt lyrics that describe the pain and anguish faced by countless teens on a daily basis, QUE distances himself from every young Rap artist in music today simply by having the GUTS and FORESIGHT to dare to be DIFFERENT!
Young people, radio programmers, record and television executives and parents all over the globe will have no choice but to stop, listen and absorb the pure genius of what this young man accomplished lyrically by creating this song. Once you listen closely, it will truly blow your mind and touch your heart in a special way. All we need to say is… “Thank you QUE for being the person that you are and we are so glad a young, gifted artist like you has finally arrived.”
“CAN’T KEEP RUNNIN’ AWAY” (Official Video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IEFkAAayLY&feature=youtube_gdata_player