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What is being done to help special needs students who are bullied
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One in every 800 children across the United States is born with Down syndrome, which is a chromosomal condition that causes delays in child development both physically and mentally, according to Kids Health Organization. - photo by Herb Scribner
When a middle school cheerleader with Down syndrome was being bullied, the team she cheered for came to her rescue.

During a basketball game last week, students in the stands taunted Desiree Andrews, according to KTLA, a local news station in Wisconsin. The teams players then walked off the court and confronted the bullies about their actions.

We were mad. We didnt like that, Miles Rodriguez, one of the players who walked off the court, said, according to Fox News.

Now, the young cheerleader always has a friend in the hallway, Fox News reported.

One in every 800 children across the United States is born with Down syndrome, which is a chromosomal condition that causes delays in child development both physically and mentally, according to Kids Health Organization. Children with Down syndrome tend to have identifiable physical characteristics, like a flat facial profile, an upward slant to the eyes, small ears and a protruding tongue, according to Kids Health.

Some children with Down syndrome have learning disabilities, while others struggle with developing social skills. Those who struggle with learning in the classroom are often placed into special-education classes for extra attention, according to Kids Health.

Special-needs students are often at high-risk for being bullied, much like Andrews was at the basketball game. A 2011 study published in Pediatrics found that children with special health care needs are bullied more often than those without disabilities.

The study said bullied students were unmotivated to work hard, missed more days of class and had lower grades overall since those students felt unsafe in school.

These problems threaten both their well-being as youth and their future flourishing as adults, the study authors wrote, according to Disability Scoop, a news website focused on disability news. Health and school professionals will need to work together to identify these children much earlier, ensure that they receive appropriate supports and services, and monitor the effectiveness of services.

And federal, state and local governments have been making strides to help students feel safer in the hallways.

The United States Department of Education and the Obama Administration launched the It Gets Better campaign, a video which features department staffers and politicians who tell bullied students that life gets better and that students shouldnt have to wait together we can help make it better today, not tomorrow, according to the department.

In October 2014, the education department also released a Dear Colleague letter that told educators that schools are obligated by federal law to protect students with disabilities from bullying. The letter written by Catherine E. Lhamon, assistant secretary for civil rights at the Department of Education, told educators they need to step in during incidents of bullying to help keep those children safe in schools.

While there is broad consensus that bullying cannot be tolerated, the sad reality is that bullying persists in our schools today, especially for students with disabilities, Lhamon wrote in her letter. Basic decency and respect demand that our schools ensure that all their students learn in a safe environment.

Most states across the nation have laws and policies to help students who are bullied in the classroom. For example, in New York, students with disabilities can sue others who harass, bully or taunt them, according to Stop Bullying, a government-funded anti-bullying campaign.

Schools, too, are encouraged to help their students feel safe from bullying. One example comes from the Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia, where workers with neighborhood and community groups continually spread anti-bullying messages to help educate children in the community. Those community groups have also created a tool kit for schools, parents and faith groups to use when they educate children on bullying.
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Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program announces grant
Funds earmarked for Share the Road initiatives
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Grant funding totaling $93,458 has been awarded to the Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program (GMSP) by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. The approved funding will be used to increase motorcycle safety awareness and outreach by encouraging all motorists and motorcyclists to Share the Road.

“The need for motorcycle safety programs is greater than ever, and this support from GOHS enables motorcycle safety programs and impaired riding initiatives to reach riders and non-riders alike” said Commissioner Spencer R. Moore. “Thank you GOHS for helping (the Department of Driver Services) and GMSP educate and encourage all Georgia drivers to ‘Share the Road.’”

The grant allows DDS to further develop the Motorcycle Safety Outreach Program by continuing to fund a position to promote state and national safety initiatives. The GMSP outreach coordinator researches, coordinates and helps maintain an adequate presence at industry events, local schools and colleges, regional meetings and festivals to increase awareness of motorcycles on the roadways and provide the most current information on motorcycle safety initiatives.

Visitors to a GMSP event display are also encouraged to sign up for regular newsletters which provide additional safety information, as well as review the motorcycle safety message on other social media platforms.

GMSP regulates motorcycle training for new riders, as well as seasoned riders, who want to learn how to ride a motorcycle legally and safely. The program is based on a continuum of learning and therefore offers three entry points to rider education.

Students participating in the Basic Riders Course do not need specialized motorcycle equipment, as the GMSP provides both a motorcycle and a helmet to class participants. Upon successful completion of the course, participants receive a 90-day license waiver card that exempts them from both the written and on-cycle skills tests needed to obtain a Class M license in the state of Georgia.

Please visit the DDS website at www.dds.georgia.gov for many online services including the convenience of enrolling in a GMSP training class and accessing many licensing services.

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