Stand For The Silent

A Father's Plea to Stop Bullying

Recently, Bob Gatty and I were pleased to welcome Kirk Smalley as a guest on the JUSTICE COUNTS Podcast.

Here’s a link to the broadcast: Justice Counts—Kirk Smalley

Kirk lost his son, Ty, after the boy was mercilessly bullied at school. Following Ty’s death in 2010, a group of high school students in Oklahoma City heard the story and started a website, called Stand for the Silent At eleven years-old, Ty took his own life after being suspended from school for retaliating against a bully that had been bullying him for over two years. Subsequently, Kirk became directly involved in the project. The site offers a platform for Kirk to share his story, offer education and tools to, hopefully, prevent his son’s tragedy from happening to another child and family. His mission is to change lives and bring awareness to bullying and the real devastation it causes.

The scourge of bullying is why I wrote Happy Jack Sad Jack—A Bullying Story The book is a gentle story in rhyme, dedicated to my grandchildren, intended to make young kids think about how terrible bullying is. The book, beautifully illustrated by the lovely and talented M.T. Falgaust, tells the story of a bi-racial kindergartner who is bullied on his first day at school. Happy Jack suddenly becomes Sad Jack.

What should Jack do? Should he tell an adult? His parents? Would his teacher or principal understand? What can they do to help?

As parents, we want certain things for our kids. Mainly, we want them to be happy. Can today’s kids celebrate their differences, or are they doomed to fight over them like generations before?

Jack’s school community learns an important lesson:

“People are different in color, shape, size.
Ears, noses, mouths, and different shaped eyes.
Different races, and genders—more, too.
Christian or Buddhist, or Muslim or Jew.
But there’s one thing in common we all have in this place.
We are all valued members of this human race.”

Happy Jack, Sad Jack—A Bullying Story is a must read for all children, a book your child or grandchild will never forget.

Roxy and Rory are book reviewers on the Stand for the Silent Website. Here’s what they had to say about Happy Jack, Sad Jack:

“Last week, we had a sleepover at our Nana and Papa’s house. We had so much fun! Rory loved going outside to play catch with Papa and Roxy loved playing hide-and-go-seek! We also enjoyed snuggling up to read a new book called Happy Jack, Sad Jack. The author is Mark Bello and he is a grandpa, just like our Papa. Mr. Bello dedicated Happy Jack, Sad Jack to his nine grandchildren . . .

“We both liked the pictures in the book and loved that the words rhymed. The rhyming words helped us understand what was going to happen next, especially with some of the bigger words. We really loved the ending of this book. Mr. Bello says it is up to all of us to help end bullying and he is right! We all have to stand for the silent and keep working to make sure everyone knows bullying is wrong. We think this book will encourage everyone who reads it to help do their part to end bullying!

Happy Jack, Sad Jack is Rory and Roxy Approved!”

Here’s a Link to the Full Review

For more information about Kirk Smalley and/or Stand for the Silent, please visit their Website.

See you soon with more social justice news and comment.