6th Grade Transition: Part 5 in a Series - Silence Hurts

This will be a short post, but the concept is as important as anything I will discuss.

The cardinal sin of adolescence is snitching. This is particularly tricky during middle school when we are also trying to teach students to be self-advocates. Young people need to learn to interpret the shades of gray from situation to situation.

Teach your child the difference between being a tattle-tale and stepping forward to ensure someone’s safety (which includes his own). We don't need to know that someone is chewing gum, or someone threw a french fry (and believe me, there are some kids who will report this to us).

Here is the test: “If I remain silent, will someone be placed in physical or emotional danger (or will someone be physically or emotionally harmed?” If the answer is yes, then your child must find the nearest adult, and let them know something is wrong. And if one adult doesn't seem to be taking it seriously enough (and they should be), then find another one. A safe school is paramount, but we can't do it alone. Students must part of the safety plan and take responsibility for maintaining a safe environment.

Also, reassure your children that we, the adults in the school, will take every precaution to protect a student’s anonymity when they step forward. One of the essential ways we are able to keep schools safe is when students step forward because they know other students could be in danger.