Holocaust Memorial Center Hosts Symposium on Bullying

The (HMCZFC) in Farmington Hills will host its 7th  Annual International Symposium, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 15, 2011.

Co-sponsored by the Michigan Council for Social Studies, this year’s forum’s topic is “Much Ado About Bullying: Signs, Symptoms, and Solutions.”

The Symposium is open to the public. Normal museum admission rates will apply for participation in the Symposium. Continuing education units (SB-CEUs) are available - for a small additional fee - for educators who attend.

The event will feature three guest presenters. One is Tara Michener, entrepreneur, author, and advocate for diversity in southeast Michigan, who has been featured on CW50, PBS, and WDET Detroit. Also presenting is Elizabeth Barton, associate director ofthe Center for Peace and Conflict Studies at Wayne State University. Barton is a developmental psychologist whose work in socio-emotional development and school-based violence has appeared on the NBC Today Show. The third presenter is Glenn Stutzky of the School of Social Work at Michigan State University, whose research focuses on bullying, cyberbullying and workplace bullying. He has been featured on ABC’s 20/20 and Good Morning America.

“Bullying, whether it occurs in the playground, on the Internet or at work, unfortunately is all too prevalent in our society today,” explains Anthony Salciccioli, President of the Michigan Council for Social Studies. “It is vital that we learn as much as we can, discuss the issues collaboratively and devise effective strategies to overcome them. Bullying harms so many individuals’ lives. As a society, we must do all we can to address this growing problem.”

Stephen Goldman, executive director of the Holocaust Memorial Center, notes, “We decided to focus our Symposium this year on bullying because we believe that all people have the potential for good. When society doesn’t place a strong enough emphasis on encouraging people to strive to be better, there is a breakdown in our value system and such inhumanities as bullying can thrive. These esteemed presenters can teach us much about the topic and galvanize the audience to seek and implement workable solutions.”