In its efforts to educate the community, especially students, about the dangers of bullying --- whether in person or on cyberspace – the Morris County Human Relations Commission is sponsoring performances of a special production on cyber-bullying by the George Street Playhouse.

The play, “In Real Life,” was commissioned by the Playhouse through a grant from the New Jersey State Bar Association. From shared text messages, exploited secret photos and threatening online conversations, it explores cyber-bullying and how it reaches every facet of students’ lives and leads to consequences everyone needs to face. It goes on to investigate how students can take an active role to end cyber-bulling.

The production was presented at the Morris School District’s Frelinghuysen school this last semester and further presentations are planned for the coming year.


The Commission has also brought the problem, and the state Legislature’s bill to address it, to the attention of the community through this letter written to the editors of local newspapers.

To the Editor:

The Morris County Human Relations Commissions applauds the bill introduced with bi-partisan support in the New Jersey Assembly on October 25, 2010, known as “The Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights.”

While details of the proposed legislation need to be worked out, the recognition and priority it gives to the crisis of bullying, especially cyber-bullying, is to be commended. The requirement that educators, legislators, the law enforcement community, and the public come together to protect our children and young adults, will go a long way toward solving the issues caused by bullying and will help to change school culture to prevent bullying in the first place.

A central goal of the Morris County Human Relations Commission is to encourage, develop, promote and strengthen respect for human rights among the people of Morris County. The implementation of strong and effective legislation will help to achieve that goal.

The Commission is proud to have recently sponsored an anti-bullying/anti-cyber-bullying program for the eighth grade students at Frelinghuysen Middle School with the George Street Playhouse performance of “In Real Life.” Based on the reaction of the students to this program, now is definitely the time to move this issue to the forefront and pass this needed legislation.

Sincerely,
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