Anti-Bullying Announcement on Local TV

The Long Beach Unified School District has created a public service announcement now airing on local cable and Fios TV to warn students and parents about the dangers and consequences of bullying in schools.

The announcement features LBUSD Superintendent Christopher J. Steinhauser and Long Beach City Councilman Robert Garcia.  The councilman notes that Long Beach schools have firm anti-bullying policies that prohibit harassment based upon a student’s color, culture, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or any other reason.  Students who engage in such behavior can face suspension, expulsion and other disciplinary measures.

Steinhauser adds, “Bullying can lead to hurt feelings, physical harm and – as we have unfortunately seen elsewhere in the nation – even the senseless loss of young lives.”

The two-minute spot airs on ed.tv (Channel 96 in Long Beach and Signal Hill, Channel 35 in Lakewood, and Channel 47 on Fios TV).  The announcement runs every two hours on the hour, publicizing the following anti-bullying resources:

• Long Beach City Human Dignity Program, 570-6730;

• Trevor Project 24-hour hotline for LGBT teens, (866) 488-7386.

In addition, the Los Angeles County Office of Education issued a recent bulletin providing school districts with a toll-free suicide prevention hotline.  The toll-free number for the DiDi Hirsch Community Mental Health Suicide Prevention Center is (877) 727-4747.