Eric Harris Manifesto and The Columbine High School Shooting

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Introduction
“…Your children who have ridiculed me, who have chosen not to accept me, who have treated me like I am not worth their time are dead...” –excerpt from Eric Harris Manifesto, 1 of 2 Columbine High School Shooters.
Craig and his colleagues (2009) report that School bullying is a worldwide phenomenon that is threatening the livelihood of the youth when they step onto a school campus. Tragic events over the last 20 years have thrown bullying prevention and mental health into the spotlight. Article 1 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) states “human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood” (UDHR, 1948). Furthermore, Article 26 states “Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace (UDHR, 1948). However, that is not the case for several individuals because of bullying in schools.
Bullying can effect both bullies and victims, causing them depression and anxiety (Schneider, O'Donnell, Stueve & Coulter, 2012). This psychological distress from bullying can lead to self-harm, including suicide attempts or ideation (Schneider, O'Donnell, Stueve & Coulter, 2012) and homicide (Robers, Zhang, Truman, Department of Justice, & National Center for Education Statistics 2012). Furthermore, lower academic performance and risk of drop out have been associated with bullying (Nansel, Overpeck, Ruan, S...

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...ers from diverse cliques, groups, and teams within the school. Prospective Ambassadors are identified at the beginning of the school year through student and staff surveys based on position and influence in their peer group, good communication skills, loyalty to peer group, and an ability to discern right from wrong. Ambassadors are trained to intervene when they see bullying and mistreatment among their peers. Those who choose to participate are selected and trained by a program coordinator to serve as Ambassadors throughout the school year. Ambassadors participate in a 2-day training along with several adult volunteers recruited from the school or community, who serve as their mentors. During the training, students learn about the problem and recognition of mistreatment, the importance of relationships and learn specific actions to intervene in times of conflict.

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