Early Tuesday morning, November 7, I had the wonderful opportunity to interview the Teacher Advisor for the Philip W. Sugg Middle School, Ms. Kathy Wheat. Ms. Wheat was at school even earlier than usual because members of the Civil Rights Team were leaving for an all-day training in Augusta. The seven member team along with Ms. Wheat, and Community Advisor, Mrs. Monica Millhime, was scheduled to attend a number of sessions during the day.

Ms. Wheat encourages students at PWS to join Civil Rights. According to Ms. Wheat, these are a few reasons why students should be involved in the team. “Students need to know that it is okay to be different and that diversity is acceptable. Kids need to come up with strategies that help prevent and stop teasing, bullying, and harassment. Students get in their little “click” groups and think that anyone who is not in the group is weird,” shares Ms. Wheat.

The goal of the Civil Rights team is to have a domino affect on positive behavior. During the training sessions “students learn intervention and peer education strategies to reduce intolerance and build an understanding of the Maine Civil Rights Act in the entire school community.”