ANKENY, Iowa (January 20, 2014) - Bully, a documentary that brings to light the reality of bullying, will be shown for free on January 26 at 1:00 p.m. at the Springwood 9 Theatres in Ankeny. More than 13 million American kids will be bullied this year, making it the most common form of violence experienced by young people in the nation. One of the most talked about documentaries in recent years, Bully brings a human scale to this startling statistic, offering an intimate, unflinching look at how bullying has touched five kids and their families. Please join us for this screening and a brief discussion, facilitated by the Ankeny Schools, of how together we can prevent bullying in our community. Admission is free but seating is limited.
This screening of Bully is sponsored by the Ankeny Ministerial Association, Ankeny Community Education, Ankeny Schools and Ankeny Springwood Theatres. To view the movie trailer of Bully, visit http://youtu.be/8dVX0tWiG2E. For more information about the film, visit www.thebullyproject.com.
This movie is in continued support of the efforts of Ankeny Schools, Ankeny Community Education and the City of Ankeny that embrace the slogan, “Bullying: we don’t do that here”.
Background on Ankeny’s Bullying Prevention efforts
October was proclaimed Ankeny Bullying Prevention Month by Mayor Gary Lorenz, following collaboration with the Ankeny Community Education Advisory Council and other community leaders to develop the proclamation in conjunction with a new anti-bullying action plan from Ankeny Schools. The proclamation adopted the schools’ new anti-bullying theme, “Bullying: We don’t do that here.”
The schools’ action plan was developed by the superintendent’s Bullying and Harassment Task Force in 2012-2013, and adopted by unanimous vote of the School Board. In support of the school’s actions, and in response to a previous community survey, community groups have organized several activities to help curb bullying.
“We’re very pleased to see this coordinated effort, and the enthusiasm and seriousness with which our community members are addressing this issue,” said Assistant Superintendent Dr. Matt Adams. “Bullying prevention is a year-round topic and we will be focused on this issue all year, every year, to help change the culture in Ankeny.”