A.G.

Schuette Marks National Bullying Prevention Month, Encourages

Students to Use OK2SAY to Report Bullying, Cyberbullying
Contact: Joy Yearout 517-373-8060


October 1, 2014
LANSING, Mich. - Attorney General Bill Schuette today recognized October as National Bullying
Prevention Month, reminding students they can report instances of bullying and cyberbullying through
Michigan's new OK2SAY statewide student safety initiative.
"Our students learn best in a safe environment, but bullying and cyberbullying incidents threaten
to disrupt our schools, sometimes with dangerous consequences," said Schuette. "OK2SAY creates a
confidential early warning system in our schools and communities to ensure our schools are places of
learning, not violence."
Bullying affects students every day. Bullies use physical, verbal, and emotional attacks that are
communicated in person or via the Internet, text messages, or other electronic means. Cyberbullying has
become one of the fastest growing forms of bullying as well as the most prevalent. Schuette noted it can
be devastating to young people, because it follows them into their homes. According to the 2014 Teens
and the Screen Study, conducted by Internet security firm McAfee, 87% of young adults aged 10 to 18 have
witnessed cyberbullying.
OK2SAY enables students to confidentially report potential harm or criminal activities aimed at
students, teachers, staff or other school employees. The program will operate as an early warning system
in our schools to thwart tragedies before they occur. Created as a result of the Student Safety Act (183 PA
2013), OK2SAY's focus is on early intervention and prevention.
State officials anticipate OK2SAY will log tips on a variety of issues involving student safety,
including, but not limited to: bullying, weapons possession, substance abuse, and suicide threats.
How to Talk About Bullying With Your Kids
If you believe your child is a victim of bullying, here's what you can do:
Talk to your child, ask questions, show support, and act on the information he or she
gives you.
Explain to your child that you will help him or her in any bullying situation.
Work together to make a plan for bullying whether it happens to your child or if he or
she sees it happening to someone else.
Ensure your child knows how to use OK2SAY to report bullying in a confidential manner,
if he or she is too afraid to tell a trusted adult personally.
If your child is withdrawing, avoiding school, skipping school, or getting emotional, find
out why. Believe him or her and follow your plan.
Seek professional help if the bullying is negatively affecting your child.
Contact law enforcement if you think a crime has been committed or seek legal advice.
For more resources on how to help your child deal with bullying, visit the website of Helen DeVos
Children's Hospital, an OK2SAY partner.

Matt's Safe School Law
Under Matt's Safe School Law, every school is required to adopt an anti-bullying policy. Matt's Law
defines bullying as any "written, verbal, or physical act, or any electronic communication that is intended or
that a reasonable person would know is likely to harm one or more pupils." The policy must name the school
officials that are responsible for ensuring its implementation and must have procedures for notifying the
parents or legal guardians of a student that targeted by bullying. Furthermore, the school must have a
procedure for reporting an act of bullying and how it investigates bullying incidents.
You can contact your child's school and ask for a copy of the school's bullying policy. Become
familiar with the Michigan anti-bullying law.
Fighting the Culture of Silence with OK2SAY
According to the U.S. Secret Service, for 81% of violent incidents in U.S. schools, someone other
than the attacker had knowledge of the attacker's plan but failed to report it. OK2SAY will discourage
the persistent culture of silence among students who fear reporting threatening behavior is intrusive, will
lead to retaliation or result in stigmatization as a "snitch."
Key features of OK2SAY include:
Confidential Reporting: State law protects the confidentiality of the reporter's identity. The
identity of the reporting party will not be disclosed to local law enforcement, school officials, or
the person against whom a tip is offered, unless the reporter voluntarily chooses to disclose
his or her identity. If the reporter is a minor, the parent or guardian must also
consent. However, to address any false reports to the program, prosecutors do have authority
to seek a court order to review records when investigating false reports.
Comprehensive Technology: OK2SAY will be operational 24 hours a day, seven days a
week, every day of the year. The program will accept tips by phone, text message, email,
mobile application, and website form, accessible atwww.mi.gov/ok2say. Multimedia
attachments with additional information are encouraged.
Coordinated Intervention: Upon receipt of a tip, specially trained OK2SAY operators at the
Michigan State Police will address the immediate need and, as necessary, forward the
information to the appropriate responding agency or organization. Most tips are expected to
go to schools and local law enforcement agencies, but in some instances, tips may go to local
community mental health agencies or the Michigan Department of Human Services.
Accountability & Complete Disposition: To ensure tips are acted upon, agencies receiving
tips are asked to submit outcome reports to the Department of Attorney General. An annual
report on the program's impact will detail the types and numbers of tips handled throughout the
year.
How to Submit a Tip
Students, teachers, parents, school workers, friends and neighbors can all submit tips, if they are
aware of a threat in school. Tips can be submitted though the following ways:
Call: 1-8-555-OK2SAY, 1-855-565-2729
Text: 652729 (OK2SAY)
Email: ok2say@mi.gov
Web: www.mi.gov/ok2say
OK2SAY Mobile App: Available for download in app stores for iPhone and Android.
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