College of Education News

Espelage Featured in Discovery Channel Special on Bullying

October 23, 2009

by Erica Yuenger

Continuing to use her expertise as a way to make schools a safer environment, Dorothy Espelage, Professor of Educational Psychology, appeared in an Investigation Discovery special titled Blackboards and Bullies: Are Your Kids Safe? on the Discovery Channel Saturday, Oct. 24 at 9 p.m. central standard time.

The special is the culmination of a week-long public service initiative launched by Investigation Discovery and National PTA during National Safe Schools Week, which empowers communities to keep their schools safe by encouraging everyone to stand up against school violence.

"Violence is complex, and it is found in all contexts," Espelage said. "Our preventative efforts need to target multiple aspects of the issue."

Espelage presents this view in the one-hour special that explores the roots of violent incidents in America's school systems and tangible ways for communities to improve child safety.

Jonathan Hacker, senior producer at ORTV Ltd, which produced the special for Investigation Discovery, said the show examines a broad spectrum of school violence, from bullying and gang activity to sexual assault, and Espelage's research in the area of bullying made her a leading expert for the piece.

"We were looking for somebody with all around knowledge about the different aspects of school violence," Hacker said. "Dorothy provides a dynamic representation of the latest thinking behind bullying and what needs to be done to control it, and she is an elegant, persuasive speaker with expertise."

No stranger to television appearances, Espelage said this experience was both similar to and different from her appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

"When you are being considered for Oprah, you are competing with other experts, so you really never know if you will make it on the show," Espelage said. "The Discovery piece was more of a collaborative, consultant role. I helped the director and producer find other experts and a school in Chicago to film."

Hacker said there is potential for a series to develop out of the special, and Espelage said she would be happy to continue contributing if that does come to fruition.

"Kids' performance in school is affected by their perceptions of safety; teachers are leaving the profession because of safety concerns; our communities are becoming increasingly violent," Espelage said. "I have devoted my life to creating safer schools."

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