Corina Morrison describes herself as "a goody two-shoes," but if you're a bully, you probably don't want to meet her in a dark alley. Morrison's story began five years ago when her oldest son, Sean, was threatened by three bullies in his grade-seven class. Their verbal taunts soon turned physical, and one challenged Sean to a fight. "He figured he would take a punch and maybe then they'd leave him alone." They didn't, and Sean went through two years of hell. "He was constantly watching his back." At the same time, Morrison's younger son, Tanner, was singled out by another group. Tanner has Tourette's, which causes facial tics when he's nervous; this made him a target. Morrison went through all the proper channels to get help. Everyone listened, but no one stopped the bullying. After grade five, Tanner chose to leave the school. Morrison met another mom whose son had been bullied in their hometown of London, Ont. They talked of how they might raise awareness about the issue. Then they got a tragic call to action: In nearby Strathroy in November 2004, 15-year-old Joshua Melo hanged himself from a tree after enduring constant harassment from schoolmates. "We just said enough is enough. Never will we lose another child to bullying." Morrison organized a meeting at a local library, expecting 20 or 30 people. More than 120 showed up, and many shared their stories through tears. The London Anti-Bullying Coalition was born, and the group's hotline - Morrison's home phone number - was soon getting dozens of calls a week from parents of bullied kids who didn't know where else to turn. Today, the coalition has over 300 volunteers and is working to get bullying treated seriously. "We're done researching bullying - it's been done for 25 years," Morrison says. "Now we have to act." At a recent event on school-bus bullying, the group helped clarify who is responsible for resolving incidents. In the future, they hope to start support groups for both the victims and the bullies themselves. In the meantime, Morrison spends about 25 hours a week on coalition business, much of that time on the phone offering support and guidance. Sean and Tanner are now thriving in their new schools, but Morrison's work is just beginning. "I believe that every student - whether they are fat, skinny, wear glasses, have Tourette's or wear red sweatpants - deserves to feel safe going to school. And that's what I'm going to keep fighting for." Chosen charity: Investing in Children |
