Unity Day was started by PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center in October 2011 and has become the chief event of National Bullying Prevention Month. On this day, people are asked to wear and share the color orange to demonstrate their support for students who have been bullied and to prevent bullying in the future. This vibrant orange color is a visible representation of the supportive, universal message that we want to prevent bullying and that we are united for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion.
According to PACER’s Unity Day guide, “The goal of the day is to bring together youth, parents, educators, businesses, and community members across the nation to emphasize the message that bullying is not acceptable and that all students deserve to be safe in school, online, and in the community.” Learn more about this important day in the video below!
How Can Schools Participate?
- Wear orange and encourage students, teachers, and staff to wear orange with you
- Share photos of those wearing orange on your social media with the hashtags #UnityDay2022 and #UnityEveryDay
- Buy a Unity Day t-shirt
- Print out free Unity Day posters, bookmarks, and flyers and put them up around your school
- Encourage teachers to have discussions in their classrooms about what unity means and why bullying prevention is important
- Create a large banner with messages of unity and have teachers, students, and staff all sign the banner. Leave the banner up all year as a reminder of everyone’s pledge to prevent bullying
- Create a sticky note mural: Come up with a question for students like “What does unity mean to you?” Have each student write their answer on a sticky note and place it underneath the question that you put up in a common area
- Encourage art teachers to use the Unity theme for the whole month of October
- Hold a pep rally or assembly about the importance of unity and bullying prevention
- Encourage older students to mentor younger students
- Use Facebook Live to show how your school is participating
- For more information and examples check out Pacer’s guide to Unity Day
Bully Prevention Facts
- More than one out of every five students will be bullied this year
- Bullying is a community-wide issue that we can’t continue to ignore or think of as a harmless
- Bullying disrupts students' learning. Students who are bullied often do not want to go to school and have difficulty concentrating while they are there resulting in a decline in grades
- Students who are bullied report more physical symptoms, such as headaches or stomachaches, and mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, than other students
- Bullying can also affect witnesses or bystanders. Witnesses often report feeling unsafe, helpless, and afraid that they will be the next target.
- Students who bully can also be negatively affected, showing higher rates of physical and emotional health issues
- Bullying is not only devastating while it’s happening—research shows that the negative effects last a lifetime
- Everyone including, teachers and students need to be empowered with options to respond to bullying around them
Encourage a Bullying-Free Community with SchoolInfo
Schools have the ability to use their parent communication app by SchoolInfo to spread the message of unity and stop bullying. The Tip Line tool within their school app promotes campus safety and integrity and helps to prevent bullying. Students can submit anonymous tips to report concerns about bullying, academic integrity, or suspicious behavior. Tips are securely sent to the proper administrator's email and can include photos, videos, and optional contact information. This tool provides a safe place for students to feel comfortable raising concerns for their classmates.
At SchoolInfo, we encourage everyone to participate in this important day and discuss the importance of preventing bullying throughout October because everyone has the right to feel safe and supported.
To learn more about how digital communication tools by SchoolInfo can bring your school community together, request a meeting with someone on our team today.