News Headlines

Anti-Bullying Ad Campaign Targets Parents

Reporter: Associated Press

Monday, August 6, 2012

A new ad campaign will urge parents to teach their kids to speak up if they witness school bullying.

The Ad Council and the Free to Be Foundation are teaming up for the long-term campaign. Television, print and web ads will start running in October.

In one television ad, a girl watches two other girls bullying a schoolmate and doesn't intervene. A narrator tells parents to teach their kids to be more than a bystander.

Online ads will warn parents that their kids regularly encounter negative messages such as "you're worthless" and "everybody hates you."

The ads were unveiled Monday at an anti-bullying summit in Washington hosted by the Department of Education.

Actress and activist Marlo Thomas says schools should adopt zero-tolerance policies and expel kids who bully.