Upcoming University of Richmond program to focus on bullying; not only a problem in the classroom, but also in society

October 24, 2014

Bullying does not just happen in the classroom.

That is the message that activist and educator Dena Simmons is hoping to convey during an upcoming program at the University of Richmond. Simmons will present “Bullying: Ain’t Nobody Got Time for That” on Oct. 28, 6 p.m., Weinstein Hall, Brown-Alley Room (third floor) on the campus.

Simmons will explore the concept of bullying, a pervasive public health and education problem facing our nation's youth, through narratives from her life and teaching experience. She will discuss the ways that bullying manifests itself not only in classrooms, but also in the media, the workplace, on the streets and in society at large, particularly focusing on the policing of gender.

“In order to address the interpersonal bullying among our youth, we must address the systemic bullying of racism, classism, sexism, homophobia, gender policing and so on, which essentially model and perpetuate violence,” Simmons said.

This event is free and open to the public

This event is part of the 2014-15 WILL*/WGSS Speaker Series focusing on issues related to gender, education and activism. WILL* is a nationally recognized program for students interested in exploring gender and diversity issues both in and out of the classroom. The Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies program offers students of all backgrounds the opportunity to examine their assumptions and ask the big questions about our cultural and societal realities.

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