No Name-Calling Week

January 20–24, 2020

An image of a Soli, a National Student Council member. With Text over image: I am a pansexual, Latinx, science nerd. W

GLSEN’s No Name-Calling Week is a week organized by K-12 educators and students to end name-calling and bullying in schools.

Founded in 2004 with Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, and evaluated by GLSEN research, No Name-Calling Week was inspired by James Howe’s novel The Misfits about students who, after experiencing name-calling, run for student council on a No Name-Calling platform.

The week is rooted in the idea of #KindnessInAction — not merely recognizing the importance of kindness, but actively adding kindness into our every action. See below ways to participate and put #KindnessInAction, including lesson plans for elementary, middle, and high school!

When we take down slurs and stereotypes, what we see is so much better. Watch this video to see how students take down slurs and stereotypes.

Don't forget to TEXT and SHARE! Text KIND to 21333 to send an anonymous message of kindness to a fellow student! Then, learn how be an ally, not a bystander, when you witness bullying. Share on social media to encourage students and educators to register their participation at school.

How to Participate

Organize

Are you participating as an individual, in a group or GSA, or as a school? GLSEN has a list of No Name-Calling Week activities to help you organize. You can also check out our planning guides for educators and students to make sure everyone in your school is putting #KindnessInAction.

Watch and Learn

Host a screening of LGBTQ-themed films with your students, GSA, colleagues, administrators, or families. We are offering free streaming for registrants from January 15-30th, 2020:

Youth and Gender Media Project I’m Just Anneke and The Family Journey
Groundspark’s Straightlaced: How Gender’s Got Us All Tied Up and That’s a Family

Make It Official

Pass a proclamation in your area, and organize signing of this pledge! Show you're against name-calling by sharing the names you want to be called with this sign!

Participate & Create

Watch last year’s QTPoC Open Mic to see queer and trans students of color perform their poetry about putting #KindnessInAction! Submit your poetry for this year's QTPOC Open Mic.

Art is a powerful tool for all students. Create your own Creative Expressions Exhibit in your school and submit your art to GLSEN’s art display.

Plan

Use our Student Organizing Resource, Educator Planning Guide and Suggested Reading list to get started. Use our lesson plans for elementary, middle, and high school including our new Identity lesson for grades K-2.

Teach

GLSEN has a host of lesson plans for elementary, middle, and high school students on the topics of name-calling, bullying, and bias in schools, perfect for the week!

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