Don't Be a Bully

Riley Inge
Ryze Productions
16 minutes • 2003
Includes discussion guide

Also available on DVD

Riley Inge, formerly on stage with the Motown group The Temptations, wrote and directed this short drama that educates both children and adults about bullying and violence.

Matt is a troubled boy who takes out his frustrations on other children. Everyone around him—his parents, sister, classmates, teacher—reacts to Matt, but no one looks deeper to find out what's behind his aggression. Riley Inge, as the school custodian, steps in to provide Matt with guidance. He communicates clearly, asks Matt questions about his feelings, and listens without judgment. By accepting the individual but not the behaviour, Riley shows that we can all own the problem of bullying.

For several years, Riley has been touring schools and workplaces with his successful Steps To Overcoming Problems (STOP) program, discussing self-esteem, coping skills and conflict resolution. Following in the footsteps of STOP, the video looks at bullying as a community problem that needs a community-based solution. It also features Riley's original music performed with help from the students of Connaught Heights Elementary School in New Westminster, BC.

Subject(s): Bullying, Children, about, Family, Violence