Bullying problems prompt Green Mountain students to start Social Justice Club

By Nola Forrest, Honoré Hazen and Luna Osier
©2023 Telegraph Publishing LLC

This year, Green Mountain Union High School has been dealing with heavy bullying problems.

In response, a dozen eighth graders and a social studies teacher have formed the Social Justice Club. This club was created to address the many types of bullying that have been occurring at the school, to take action and make this school feel safer and   ensure equity.

The SJC needed to be created due to the school’s issues around usage of derogatory language. Club member Helen Spurlock explained that “racist and anti-gender equality language” are a problem at the school. SJC members feel this has gone too long without people being held accountable. The group has created posters, written articles, and attended meetings about school issues to plan and take action.

Abigail Bullen, the 8th grade social studies teacher and advisor of the SJC, said she is proud of this group and that “definitely more outreach to the community” is needed to expand and respond to GMUHS’s bullying problems. Members said that the club feels like a safe space for them to let out their feelings, without worrying about what others would think or say.

In March, 10 SJC members attended the Vermont Association for Middle Level Education Annual Student Conference with students from several other schools. There, they discussed the biggest social justice issues in their schools and ways to solve them. The issues included, but were not limited to, racism and general bullying.

GMUHS Principal Keith Hill said, “I think (such behavior) comes from a lack of understanding.”

The group has developed many events to help the school community, including poster campaigns to educate people about derogatory terms. The SJC will present a slideshow for all middle schoolers to educate the students about what SJC members learned at the VAMLE conference. It will include topics on sexuality and pronouns, racial inclusion, social media, making a difference in schools and asking for help.

In addition to reaching out to educate the school community about racism, bullying and other problems, the club serves another important purpose for its members. As club member Natalya Dunich says, “Our school needed the Social Justice Club to make it clear that there is a safe environment for students who might need it.”

The club’s goal of ensuring the safety and comfort in GMUHS for the students is in keeping with general principles of the Chester Select Board’s recently passed Declaration of Inclusion. The club plans to open to seventh graders and to find a high school faculty member so it can continue next year. Its members want to help students speak up more so that social justice issues are heard and are gotten across to more people.

Nola Forrest, Honoré Hazen and Luna Osier are students at Green Mountain Union High School.