BULLYING SYMPOSIUM
By the Newberg Schools Communications Team
Timber Joey has become world-famous for his antics at the Portland Timbers and Portland Thorns pro soccer games. Do an internet search and you’ll quickly realize just how iconic his act has become in the world of MLS soccer and sports mascots.
For the uninitiated, Timber Joey (his real name is Joey Webber) saws a slab of wood off a 12-foot log every time the Major League Soccer club scores a goal at Providence Park. The log-sawing act dates to 2001 when the legendary Timber Jim Sherrill did the honors until his retirement in 2008.
Watch Timber Joey in action here.
While Timber Joey can get 25,000 soccer fans on their feet, there is one thing that brings him to his knees - bullying. The subject is very close to him.
“I was bullied,” he told the audience at a special community symposium at Newberg High School on bullying and cyberbullying. “But what hurts me more is, that … I was a bully.”
Webber explained that to win the favor of a more popular group of boys, he turned on his loyalty to a dear friend he’d known for many years. The friend, visibly hurt by this action, turned to his friend Webber, incredulous, and pleaded, “Why did you do this to me?” Joey recalled.
The incident stayed with Joey for the rest of his life. The two would reunite later in their life, but before Joey could truly apologize for what had happened, his friend passed away.
Regret, Joey said, has filled his life over that one incident.
“I wish I could take that back, he said. “I wish I could take those words back.”
The symposium was coordinated by Newberg’s Communications Team, with support from Dr. Stephen Phillips, Newberg superintendent, as well as professional staff, community leaders, mental health professionals, local law enforcement and district parents.
The issue of bullying and cyberbullying in Newberg Schools was a key issue that parents voiced during a series of informal empathy interviews, or “listening sessions,” conducted in January by the superintendent’s office and the Newberg School Board.
According to stopbullying.gov, an anti-bullying website with helpful resources, the issue of bullying and cyberbullying among students in the U.S. is quite staggering.
“Bullying affects all youth, including those who are bullied, those who bully others, and those who witness bullying. The effects of bullying may continue into adulthood,” the site said.
“Bullying is all too common,” said Dr. Vivek Murthy, the U.S. Surgeon General, in a 2022 video on bullying. “About 1 in 5 high school students reported being bullied at school. About 1 in 6 reported being bullied electronically in the past year.
“Bullying is harmful to the mental health of all involved,” Dr. Murthy said. “Young people who are bullied are more likely to feel lonely and want to avoid school. They’re more likely to have symptoms of depression, which could contribute to their risk of suicide.”
Bullying is also harmful in the long-term for the bullies themselves, Dr. Murthy added.
“Young people who bully others, and those who witness bullying, can also experience negative mental health effects,” he said.
Which brings us back to Timber Joey. On this night in Newberg, with a steady ugly April rain soaking the town, people trickled into the Drea Ferguson Auditorium. This caused a bit of concern for organizers, who always hope for standing room only crowds.
Timber Joey, with the swipe of his metaphorical chainsaw, cut the tension like a 12-foot log.
“If only one person shows up, I’m happy to do this because this - the subject of bullying - is very important to me,” Webber said.
More than one showed up.
CYBERBULLYING
Officer Jeff Moreland of the Newberg-Dundee Police Department who is the School Resource Officer (SRO) discussed the very complex issue of cyberbullying and its legal ramifications.
Cyberbullying has become a prevalent issue not just in Newberg, but across the country. Cyberbullying is defined by stopbullying.gov, as “bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets. Cyberbullying can occur through SMS, Text, and apps, or online in social media, forums, or gaming where people can view, participate in, or share content.
“Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else,” the site added. “It can include sharing personal or private information about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation. Some cyberbullying crosses the line into unlawful or criminal behavior.”
Moreland warned that those who use the Internet to harass or bully others can quickly be in for a rude awakening from the law. Aside from harassment charges, any transmission of sexually explicit images or videos that contain anyone under age 18 is considered child pornography. This would cover the relatively new trend of “revenge porn.” The end result can be formal charges, and possibly the perpetrator being listed as a registered sex offender for life, he said.
Moreland explained a common scenario in which a couple dates for a long time in high school. They break up, and one of them starts posting real or manipulated images showing intimate moments. This is illegal, and people are prosecuted for these crimes every day.
“If you’re a cyberbully, you really need to think twice about your online actions,” he warned.
PAUSE BEFORE YOU POST
Elise Yarnell-Hollamon from Providence said the bullying issue in Newberg and beyond is troubling because the statistics show the problem is worse in Yamhill County compared to the rest of Oregon. She also outlined what services are available to parents and students.
According to a 2020 Oregon Student Health Survey that included 11th grade students, a statewide average of 11 percent of 11th grade students reported they had been bullied at school in the last 30 days. The average for Yamhill County shows 24.2 percent of 11th grade students reported they had been bullied at schools in Yamhill County in the last 30 days.
“We have to do better,” Hollamon said. “We can do better.”
The program opened with Dr. Phillips citing the often quoted Socrates passage asking if the information you wish to share is true, kind, or necessary.
“I think those words hold true,” he said.
Students in the high school’s Business Class produced marketing materials for the event. The class developed the tagline, “PAUSE BEFORE YOU POST,” and produced T-Shirts and stickers for sale. Proceeds from the sales of T-Shirts will go to support the Newberg Emergency Center.
WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT BULLYING
The bulk of the presentation was a candid discussion about what parents and students can do if confronted with a bully or a cyberbully. Tony Buckner and Amy Stephens from Newberg Schools, gave an overview of the issue in our schools.
“What can adults do?” Buckner asked.
For starters, when bullying happens, it is important that parents, educators and youth are all involved, he said.
“A caring adult can provide support and guidance in the communication and problem-solving process,” Buckner said.
“Bullying can be prevented with students, parents, and educators working together to take action,” Stephens said.
If a student is being bullied, it is important that they make a plan to change what’s happening to them, she said.
“The plan is an opportunity for (students) - along with parents or teachers - to develop a strategy to change what’s happening to you or someone else,” Stephens said.
The symposium was the second in a series of community forums hosted by Newberg Public Schools. In January, community leaders and school leaders held a symposium regarding the fentanyl crisis in Oregon schools.
You can WATCH THE FENTANYL SYMPOSIUM HERE.
ARE YOU BEING BULLIED? Get help NOW.