Wear Orange for Unity Day: Wednesday, Oct. 10
On Unity Day, Wednesday, Oct 10, students, parents and educators across the country unite against bullying through events, activities, outreach and education, and will wear orange to raise awareness for National Bullying Prevention Month.
National Bullying Prevention Month was started by PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center in 2006 to raise awareness, and it has now grown into a powerful student movement. Thanks to our friends at CustomInk.com for providing the Unite Against Bullying T-shirts as part of their "Be Good to Each Other" campaign.
On Unity Day, students across the country speak up in support of their peers who have been bullied. The theme of Unity Day is "Make it Orange, Make it End."
PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center has partnered with online custom t-shirt company CustomInk to raise awareness and funds for bullying prevention. At CustomInk.com, you can get an official Unite Against Bullying t-shirt, design your own bullying prevention shirt or order a celebrity-designed shirt and all profits will benefit PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center.
If you need help with a bullying situation, want to learn more, or support the cause should go to PACER.org/Bullying.
About PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center
PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center educates communities nationwide to prevent bullying through the use of creative, interactive resources. It has three helpful websites that offer a wide variety of free resources teachers, students, and families can use to address bullying in schools, the community and online:
- KidsAgainstBullying.org is for elementary school children
- TeensAgainstBullying.org is for middle school and high school students
- PACER.org/Bullying is for parents, educators, and other concerned adults
Comments
Tammy Wareham
Twarehams67@aol.com
217-820-6491
Hello,
I'm sending the attached letter to share what my son has been dealing with. He finds little comfort/pleasure in anything, however he recently has fallen in love with your music!! I want you to know you do make a difference in our lives! Thank you for what you do!!
If you ever surprise fans with anything, I would so welcome anything you may be willing to do for my son!
Respectfully,
Tammy Wareham
Twarehams67@aol.com
217-820-6491
My name is Tammy Wareham. I have 3 children, Britni 23, Brandon 17, and Brock 16. My husband of 18 years is Mike Wareham. We live in Taylorville Illinois.
Seeing so much in the media about victims of bullying, I felt motivated to share the horrific way in which it has impacted our lives.
My son Brandon was the victim of ongoing bullying beginning the summer of his Sophomore year, 2010, while on a school sponsored football trip to Tennessee. The unthinkable actions of others have left Brandon and our family facing battles we never dreamed possible.
Brandon recently expressed interest in sharing his experience, and the impact it has had on his life. He, like so many right now, wants to try and be a voice in prevention of bullying behavior. Here are several of the trials he and our family have had to face because of the unthinkable choices of others.
*While on the bus of the football trip, 2 senior boys threatened to rape Brandon
*We contacted the coaches (who had left the bus unattended) and then we drove 6 hours to Tennessee to pickBrandon up, he did not attend the camp.
* We had a meeting thereafter with the school principal, AD, and head football coach. They suggested we meet with the other coaches, and parents of the senior boys. They came with lawyers. They decided that they didn’t want these boys to have to lose out on playing football their senior year, and “boys will be boys”, “these things happen.”
The meeting ended with them apologizing to Brandon and they were told to leave him alone.
* Coach told Brandon to “be the bigger person” and come back on the field with his team, so after about 3 weeks he did. Only to be made fun of, intentionally hurt, and harassed because of his weight. (240 at that time).
* Trying to be accepted, and forgiven for “being a nark”, Brandon wanted to lose weight. (He felt that was one thing he could control, not knowing he would reach a point where it was out of his control).
* He reached 128 lbs. by October 2011. Hair was falling out, very low vitals, organs not working properly, and was hospitalized in St. Louis, Missouri on October 12, 2011.
* He was diagnosed with ANOREXIA, ANXIETY, and POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER.
* Needing a higher level of care after about 6 weeks, he was sent to Denver, Colorado, and then Phoenix, Arizona. I resigned from my job as a teacher Assistant, in order to be out of state where Brandon was hospitalized. While Mike and Brock remained in Taylorville I was living in the Ronald McDonald House in whatever state he was in, we were forced to live separate. Because of extreme medical bills, we left our home and moved into Mike’s parents’ home.
* Friends and family of our community had a Benefit For Brandon, to help us with hospital bills. Brandon was “inpatient residential” and that was not a covered benefit with our insurance company.
*The school district was not helpful in this school years education for Brandon, so he is currently seeking his GED. (Straight A student, pursuing a college career.) Dr.’s are willing to write letters about his severe PTSD, and why he was not able to return to his high school.
*Brandon and I moved back to Taylorville, about 5 weeks ago, after living away from our family for almost one year. It is a challenge for Brandon everyday, as he lives in fear of seeing the bullies, coaches, or just being questioned everywhere he goes. He does not leave home much, and would love our family to relocate. But because of Mike’s job, and Brock being in school, it is not an option for our family right now.
* We still travel to St. Louis for medical treatment and therapy for Brandon. He continues to battle the Eating Disorder, PTSD, and anxiety.
* He is 17 years old, never has or will, go to prom, graduate with his class, get his diploma, go to a class reunion. So many things he has lost out of in his life that could have been prevented, if people would stop and think about their behavior. After the bus incident, Brandon continued to be teased, harassed and tormented at school on a daily basis.
Our life has forever been changed because of bullies. Somehow thinking it is okay to hurt people over and over until they reach the point of breaking. Brandon is and will forever live with the impact this has had on his life. We are blessed to have such a supportive family and medical team that continue to help him. Some families are not so lucky, as their loved ones may take their life because they cannot live with being bullied any longer.
It is our hope that you will find “Brandon’s Story” something we can share with you in more detail. It would be an honor to know we can become a part of making a positive change in the lives of others. By allowing us to share real life information on behaviors that are no longer accepted!!
Please feel free to contact me anytime for questions, or additional information. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Respectfully,
Tammy Wareham
217-820-6491
Twarehams67@aol.com