Professor Gulu’s

Kids and Bullying

A Story on Cyberbullying in School
and on the Playground

by

Karl A. Floyd,
M.Ed., LPC, ABMPP

UNIVERSAL TIME RELEASE PUBLISHING, LL C

P.O. Box 18063
Sugar Land, Texas 77496
 Kids and Bullying

This book belongs to:

(Your Name)

All Rights Reserved

Copyright © 2016 by Universal Time Release Publishing, LLC
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, or by any information
storage or retrieval system without permission in writing
from this publisher.

ISBN # 978-1-5136-0892-1
Printed in the United States of America

First Edition

For information or to order additional books, please write:

UNIVERSAL TIME RELEASE PUBLISHING, LLC. P.O
BOX 18063
Sugar Land, Texas 77496
USA

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 Kids and Bullying

Contents
1. The Game ………….………….……. 13

2. A Friend .………………………… 21

3. Bullied ...………………………. 29

4. Chores … …………….………... 35

5. Busted ……….……...…….…... 41

6. The Conference .………….…… 49

7. Reunited ……..…………………... 57

8. The Big Surprise ……….…………. 67

9. Working it Out .………………….. 77

Quizzes, Safety Tips, and Resources. 89

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 Kids and Bullying

Professor Gulu

MORAL AND CHAR ACTER DEVELOPMENT

Teaching children from early and middle

childhood to adolescence how to respond and

make informed decisions under pressure is the

hallmark of Professor Gulu’s moral and character

development learning series.

Each song and book is skillfully crafted to

promote insight and understanding, stimulate

creative thinking, and to equip youth with effective

problem-solving skills. And most importantly, the

book and music learning series has been made

affordable for nearly every family.

Therefore, thank you in advance for supporting

Professor Gulu’s initiative to ensure that every

youth has the opportunity to learn, grow, and to

reach his or her full potential.

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 Kids and Bullying

A Message From Professor Gulu

Bullying has become a serious problem among

adolescents and teens. And today’s advancements in

technology have made it easier for bullies to gain access

to their victims. No longer are verbal and physical acts of

violence the primary methods of attack and abuse.

Today’s bullies communicate in ways that are often

behind the scenes and unknown by adults. They use text

messages, blogs, e-mail, letters, websites, and other social

media to spread rumors and threats. Unfortunately, there

is no escape for the victim, and no place is considered off

limits.

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 Kids and Bullying

NATIONAL CHILD SAFETY CAMPAIGN

Book a nd Cerebrophonic Music Collection

Professor Gulu’s book and online Cerebrophonic

music l e a r n i n g s e r i e s is considered one of the

most spectacular child safety programs on the market,

with sensational songs and literacy tools leading the

way to revolutionizing child safety education and

community health.

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 Kids and Bullying

With a focus on fostering positive parent-child

interaction and increasing quality time between

family members, Professor Gulu’s educational series

provides opportunities to strengthen family relations

and deepen youth insight and understanding on

important safety issues. In addition, the stories reflect

real-life situations, include quizzes, important

parent-child safety tips, and helpful family

resources. Each book is also accompanied by

skillfully crafted songs that listeners can enjoy

anytime, anyplace, and anywhere on Professor Gulu’s

Online Music Learning Center.

Whether it’s tackling fire safety, Internet predators,

gang violence, texting and seat belt safety, or juvenile

diabetes and obesity, Professor Gulu’s National Child

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 Kids and Bullying

Safety Campaign is sure to equip children, parents,

and educators with the strategies and knowledge

necessary to help overcome a multitude of dangerous

and unhealthy behaviors.

And finally, whether it’s education, recreation, or

leisure activity, Professor Gulu’s child safety book

and online Cerebrophonic music learning series is

sure to entertain, educate, and motivate young minds

of all interests and from all walks of life.

THANK YOU for helping us promote child safety.

Professor Gulu Enterprises

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to express the deepest appreciation

to my beautiful wife, Ann Branch-Floyd, whose

guidance, encouragement, and faith challenged me to

reach new heights. Without her inspiration and

persistent help, this book and the entire Professor

Gulu learning series would not have been possible.

I would also like to thank WAAJID Branding &

Marketing for laying out the book cover design.

And finally, very special thanks to my aunt,

Barbara Wright Coleman of Albany, Georgia, for

editing and proofreading.

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Kids and Bullying

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 Kids and Bullying

Illustrated by:
Leonard Williams
and
Waajid Branding & Marketing

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Kids and Bullying

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The Game

Fluffy white clouds drifted slowly across a clear

blue sky at Hartsville’s most popular natural grass

soccer stadium.

With the game on the line, the Bear’s last

minute penalty shot brought the crowd to its feet.

The score was tied, 7-7, and the deafening roar

of the crowd held everyone in suspense.

It seemed as though everyone in town had

come to watch the undefeated Bear’s soccer team

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win its first regional championship.

Suddenly, the referee blew his whistle and the

crowd began to cheer.

Peter, Joey, and their friends screamed with

excitement from the lower wooden bleachers.

“Come on, you can do it!” Tina screamed

loudly.

The goalie stood between the ball and the

center of the goal. His stance was slightly

crouched, feet apart with his eyes focused directly

on the kicker.

The kicker approached the ball aggressively.

“Wow! He’s fast!” Nikki commented, glaring

at the kicker.

The kicker motioned right, faked left and then

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blasted a fierce shot down the right side of the

goal.

The crowd began to cheer.

In an attempt to deflect the shot, the goalie

made a spectacular dive to the ground.

“He made it! He made it!” Peter shouted,

jumping up and down on the wooden bleachers.

Sure enough, the ball deflected off the goalie’s

body and went into the back of the net.

“Oh, yes, he’s incredible! I’d give anything to

kick like that,” Nikki said, admiring the kicker’s

amazing athletic talents.

Just then, Peter and Joey glared at one another

before turning their attention to Nikki.

“You’d give anything just to have some talent

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at all,” Joey replied sarcastically.

Immediately, all the others began to laugh.

“That’s not funny!” Nikki exclaimed.

“Come on, Nikki. You’re only getting upset

because the truth hurts,” Peter added.

“Please, all of you, just leave me alone,” Nikki

demanded, feeling harassed and insulted.

After the game, Nikki unlocked her bicycle

from the steel bike rack and rode home alone in

tears.

The next day was Saturday, but throughout the

month, kids from the neighborhood gathered at

the soccer field to play.

“Let’s select teams!” Tina suggested, stretching

her arms above her head and twisting side to side.

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“Okay, Joey and I will be team captains,” Peter

told the group.

“Good! I’ll chose first,” Joey remarked,

selecting a chubby 12-year-old red-head boy

named Tommy.

“I’ll take Sarah,” Peter responded, pointing to the

district’s undefeated and fastest 8th grade track

and field sprinter.

Four more players were selected to each team,

leaving Nikki as the only player not selected to

either team.

“Uh, which team can I be on?” Nikki asked,

glaring at both Peter and Joey.

“Do we need to remind you every time we

come to the playground? You’re on the LOL

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team,” Peter told Nikki.

“What’s the LOL team?” Nikki asked Peter,

with a puzzled look on her face.

“Left Out Losers,” Joey replied, as he shoved

Nikki to the ground.

The others laughed and formed a small circle

around Nikki.

Nikki’s eyes welled up with tears.

“Get away from me!” Nikki shouted, eyeing

Joey as he approached her a second time.

Just as Nikki rose to her feet, a bystander

appeared out of nowhere, broke through the

circle, and grabbed Nikki by her hand.

“Stop it! Bullying is wrong!” the bystander

shouted out before hurriedly escorting Nikki off

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the soccer field.

With the help of the bystander, Nikki limped

off the soccer field with a bruise on her left knee.

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A Friend

Nikki cried as she brushed the dirt from her legs

and cleaned the small bruise on her left knee. The

bystander, Regina, a 14-year-old Hispanic female

with dark brown eyes and wavy black hair,

comforted Nikki under the tree.

“Hey, what’s up? From a distance, it looked

as though you were all having fun, but when I saw

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you fall to the ground, I knew something was

wrong. Are you okay?” Regina asked, moving

Nikki’s hair gently away from her face.

“I’m okay. I’ll be alright,” Nikki replied,

wiping the tears from her face.

“Huh? You’re not okay!” Regina exclaimed.

“You’re crying, and you have a bruise on your

knee,” Regina added, in a soft tone of voice.

“What made them do this to you?” She asked

Nikki.

“I don’t understand why they treat me so

badly,” Nikki told Regina. “Or what I did to make

them hate me,” Nikki added.

Regina sat next to Nikki and fixed her sharp

gaze on the soccer field.

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“What’s your name?” Regina asked.

“Nikki, it’s short for Nicole,” Nikki said.

Both girls smiled.

“I’m Regina. It’s nice to meet you, Nikki,”

Regina greeted her, shaking hands.

“Thanks for coming to my rescue,” Nikki told

Regina.

“It’s the right thing to do,” Regina replied.

“Hey- !” Regina stared. “You see the guy wearing

the blue headband?” Regina asked.

“Yes,” Nikki answered in a tiny and soft voice.

“Is his name Joey?” Regina asked, squinting.

“Yes, it is. Do you know him?” Nikki asked.

“Girl, do I ever! His best friend got in big

trouble last year for bullying and totally

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humiliating a female student,” Regina said.

“Some of the students believed Joey was also

involved, but he got off scot-free,” Regina

remarked, taking a deep breath.

“Tell me, what did they do to her?” Nikki

asked curiously.

“I can’t believe you haven’t heard. This

particular incident was the talk of the town,”

Regina told her.

“I’m kinda new in town. I don’t know very

many people,” Nikki said.

“Well, if you really want to know, the story

goes like this,” Regina said, swallowing slowly

and lifting her head. “Ron, Joey’s best friend, is a

photographer. Ron’s father owns a very popular

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photo shop and he taught Ron how to shoot

awesome digital photos,” Regina said.

“One day, Ron persuaded this girl that she had

the perfect face to audition for his father’s new

magazine. If you had ever seen Ron’s Instagram

photos, you would have agreed that he took some

amazing headshots,” Regina added.

“Anyhow, she allowed Ron to do her photo

shoot. The girl was proud of her headshots, and

she showed them to students throughout the

school,” Regina told Nikki.

“After the photo shoot, Ron’s father notified

the girl’s parents which headshots were selected

for his magazine. It all seemed so unreal, the girl

thought to herself, believing she was on her way

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to a new and exciting modeling career. But what

she wanted more than anything else was to make

her parents proud of her,” Regina told Nikki.

“The following week, the girl was devastated

by multiple photos of her posted online. The

photos had been digitally manipulated, showing

her head attached to the body of a female in

undergarments, sitting next to Ron in the back

seat of a car. Other fake photos of her wearing

different undergarments were texted to Ron’s

closest friends and other students on campus. It

was the most humiliating thing she had ever

experienced. The students teased her and made

ugly jokes,” Regina said.

“Needless to say, her parents were terribly

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upset and threatened to take legal action. But

worst of all, she had begun to hate herself, even

wondering if her life was worth living,” Regina

said, with tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Wow! That story is so sad. I can understand

why you’re crying,” Nikki replied.

“I’m crying, Nikki, because I am that girl. I am

the girl who was almost destroyed,” she told

Nikki, struggling to hold back the flood of tears.

“Wow! What an awful thing to do to a

person,” Nikki responded. Nikki leaned over and

gave Regina a big hug. The two girls cried, and

then Nikki comforted and thanked Regina for

having the courage to share her story.

“Are you going to be okay?” Nikki asked

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Regina.

“Yeah. After several months of counseling, I

believe I’ll be just fine,” Regina replied.

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Bullied

The next day at school, students lined up in the

cafeteria for lunch. The aroma of freshly baked

bread was so irresistible that students lined up for

seconds.

“Do you want your milk?” Joey asked Peter.

“I’ve noticed you hardly ever drink it,” he added.

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“I’m not too fond of milk,” Peter replied, with

a disinterested look on his sharp-featured face. It’s

all yours if you want it,” he told Joey.

“Gee, thanks! A little extra milk does the body

good,” Joey commented, opening the small carton

and placing it on his tray.

As Peter and Joey walked to their table, Joey

saw Nikki and a small group of students enjoying

their lunch.

“Hello!” Joey said to the group, smiling as he

tilted his lunch tray slightly to the right. “Oh, no!”

Joey cried out loud. “I spilled my milk!” he

exclaimed, with a big smirk on his face.

“Hey! What is your problem!” Nikki shouted,

jumping up from her table with milk flowing from

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her hair. “Look at what you’ve done,” she cried

out intensely, wiping milk from her eyes.

“Hey, Nikki… got milk?” Peter shouted, as the

other students broke out in laughter.

“That’s not funny!” Nikki exclaimed, dashing

out of the lunch room in tears.

Nikki rushed into the girl’s restroom fully

embarrassed and humiliated.

Seconds later, Tina and her best friend, Sarah,

entered the restroom behind Nikki.

“Nikki,” Tina called out to her. “I am so sorry

for what happened to you. Some boys can be so

immature and cruel,” she added.

“Yeah, I’m sorry too,” Sarah told Nikki,

reaching for a paper towel to help dry Nikki’s

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hair.

“Why do they hate me so much? I’ve done

nothing to them,” Nikki said, sobbing. “Ever

since I moved into the neighborhood, they’ve

treated me like trash,” she told Tina and Sarah.

“Just give them a little time,” Tina told Nikki.

“It’ll get better,” Tina promised, reaching into her

purse for a small plastic bottle. “Hold your head

over the sink so we can rinse the milk from your

hair,” she instructed Nikki.

Nikki put her head underneath the faucet.

“Uh, what are you doing?” Sarah asked,

whispering in Tina’s ear.

“We are going to clean her up,” Tina

responded, applying solution from the small

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plastic bottle to Nikki’s hair.

Moments later, Nikki raised her head from

underneath the faucet. The milk was totally gone

from her hair.

“Thank you so much,” Nikki told Tina and

Sarah. “I didn’t believe anybody cared,” Nikki

smiled and expressed gratefully.

As the girls began to exit the restroom, Tina

stopped Nikki at the door.

“Hold up a second, Nikki, just one final touch-

up,” Tina said, primping and teasing Nikki’s hair.

“Now, that’s better,” Tina commented softly.

Nikki went on to her next class. She and her

classmates sat quietly as the teacher called the

roll. Nikki looked to her left after hearing fellow

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classmates snickering and glaring in her direction.

“What’s so funny?” Nikki asked the hazel-

eyed boy seated next to her.

“Your hair,” the boy replied, bursting into

laughter. “It’s glued together and pointing up.

You look like a unicorn,” he told Nikki, giggling

uncontrollably.

Sure enough, Tina and Sarah made matters

worse by further disgracing Nikki in front of her

peers. As a result of their humiliating prank, both

Tina and Sarah were suspended from school.

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Chores

Later that afternoon, Joey returned home from

school and placed his backpack on the kitchen

counter. He opened the refrigerator in search of a

cold and refreshing soft drink. As he grabbed a

soft drink, Joey was abruptly jerked away from

the refrigerator by his collar.

“What did I tell you to do?” his father asked,

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with a menacing look and the smell of alcohol on

his breath.

“You said always keep the kitchen clean,”

Joey replied, trembling in fear.

“You gonna listen to me and learn to do what I

tell you, boy,” his father demanded, stumbling

and struggling to keep his balance.

With a ghastly expression on his face, Joey

slowly backed away from his father.

“That uncaring mother of yours walked out on

us and filed for divorce. I fought hard to keep you

and won custody. She said under my care you’d

grow up to be just like me… a big, good-for-

nothing loser. Well, I’m proving her wrong. I’ve

struggled so hard to make sure you get a good

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education, grow up and become a young man, not

a wimp,” he told Joey. “But there’s one thing I

just don’t understand,” he murmured softly under

his breath. “Why you just refuse to do what I tell

you to do,” his father expressed angrily, glaring

around at the messy kitchen. “Well, son, it’s a

shame you gotta learn things the hard way,” he said.

Joey slowly backed away from his father.

“Don’t hurt me again daddy,” Joey pleaded,

trembling and shaking in fear. “I was sick last

night. You know it! I thought you would clean the

kitchen for me,” he told his dad.

Joey’s father stood directly in front of him,

staring at him eye-to-eye.

“What did I tell you about excuses son?” he

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asked angrily, grabbing Joey by his hair.

“Ouch! You’re hurting me,” Joey cried out in

pain.

“What did I tell you?” his father asked him a

second time.

“You said excuses are for losers, and no matter

what Mom thinks I’d never become a loser,” Joey

cried, his heart pounding thunderously in his

chest.

“Look around you son. Look at the mess in

this kitchen. Today, you’re a loser, and you got

your mom to thank for that,” he stated, shoving

Joey into the refrigerator, then tossing him into a

dining room chair.

Joey landed hard on the dining room floor.

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“Okay, dad… Please! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

Joey cried, grabbing his shoulder and agonizing

in pain.

“You got 30 minutes to clean this kitchen,” he

told Joey before walking to his bedroom and

slamming the door behind him.

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Busted

The next day, Joey was called to the

principal’s office before his first period class.

“Young man, I’ve received report that you’ve

been bullying one of our female students. After

our recent announcements and policy changes,

I’m sure you must be aware of the seriousness of

this behavior,” the principal spoke, raising his

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eyebrows and eyeing Joey intensely. “What have

you to say regarding this accusation?” the

principal asked Joey.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Joey

replied, squirming uncomfortably in his seat.

“The report of you bullying this young girl

comes from a very reliable source,” the principal

told Joey.

“Yeah, who?” Joey asked, appearing snobby.

“First, let’s check that attitude young man,” the

principal warned Joey. “And second, it’s not

important who reported it; however, the

consequences for not being truthful with me is a

serious matter,” the principal cautioned Joey.

“And if you recall during last month’s student

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assembly, the staff strongly encouraged and

empowered bystanders to play an active role in

preventing bullying from occurring and to report

bullying to adults when it does take place,” the

principal added.

Without further hesitation, the principal

reached across his desk and pressed a speaker

button on his phone.

“Ms. Jones, please escort the female student to

my office,” the principal instructed his front

office secretary.

Shortly afterward, Nikki is escorted into the

principal’s office by the secretary.

“Thank you, Ms. Jones. You may leave now,”

the principal politely addressed the secretary.

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“Hello, Nikki, please have a seat,” the principal

insisted politely.

Joey’s face turned white and his eyes bulged

when he saw Nikki enter the principal’s office.

“Oh, no…not you,” Joey mumbled, dropping

his head in shame.

“Joey, your behavior indicates to me that you

recognize Nikki from somewhere,” the principal

commented. “So, I’ll ask you again. What have

you to say regarding a report of you having

bullied one of our female students,” he asked

Joey.

Joey leaned back in his chair and glared at

Nikki with a menacing look on his face.

“Young man, I strongly suggest that you look

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directly at me from this point on,” the principal

demanded. “And Joey, expressions of intimidation,

harassment, and threatening gestures will not be

tolerated in my office and on this school campus.

Do I make myself clear?” the principal asked,

scolding Joey for his hostile facial expression

towards Nikki.

“Yeah,” Joey answered.

“Come again!” the principal replied.

“I mean, yes, sir,” Joey responded respectfully.

“Joey, if you had taken our announcements

and policies seriously, you’d recall that all

students were informed and encouraged to report

cases of bullying to my office or the local

authorities. Nikki, tell me… how do you know

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this young man?” the principal asked.

“I first met him at the community park in our

neighborhood. He and a group of kids play

soccer on the weekend,” she told the principal.

“There is absolutely no excuse for bullying,

mistreating or intentionally inflicting harm on

another human being,” the principal told Joey.

“Bullying is not only unacceptable, it’s also

unlawful.

The principal shows Joey a cyberbullying text

that he received from one of his students.

“Joey, I’m sure this photo looks familiar,” the

principal said, holding up the picture to Joey’s

face. “Due to the seriousness of this incident,

I’ve asked your parents to come to my office

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for a meeting. I expect them to arrive within the

next hour,” the principal told Joey and Nikki.

Joey sloughed in his chair, not knowing how

his father would react to the principal’s report.

Before the parents arrived, the principal had his

secretary escort Nikki to the counselor’s office

while he talked further with Joey about his

behavior.

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The Conference

Moments later, Joey’s father arrived at the

school’s main office. He approached the front

desk and glared at the secretary standing near the

fax machine.

“Good afternoon,” the secretary greets him in a

polite tone of voice. “How can I help you?” she

asked Joey’s father.

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“Hi, my name is John Hanson. I’m Joey’s

father. I received a phone call requesting that I

meet with the principal at 2:00 p.m.,” he told the

secretary.

“Okay, Mr. Hanson,” the secretary replied.

“Please step to the next counter so I can assist you

with check-in,” she told him.

Joey’s father completed the check-in process

and sat quietly in the lobby of the main office.

Meanwhile, Joey remained in the principal’s

office while Nikki met with the school’s

counselor in a nearby office.

“I was texted a picture that has been

circulating around the campus all week. What do

you know about this picture?” the principal asked

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Joey, showing Joey a photo copy of the texted

picture.

Joey’s face turned pale and a cold chill raced

down his spine as he glared at the principal’s

photo.

“Well, do you recognize this picture?” he

asked Joey.

“Yes, sir. That’s Nikki. So what’s the big

deal?” Joey asked nonchalantly, leaning back in

his chair.

“What’s the big deal?” the principal blared out

angrily. “Huh? Joey, have you ever heard the

term cyberbullying?” the principal asked.

Joey sat quietly, took in a deep breath, and

refused to answer.

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“Son, taking this picture and emailing/texting

it to others is hurtful, cruel, and a major violation

of privacy. The intent to harm, harass, and bully

this young girl is apparent and downright

despicable!” the principal added.

“But I didn’t take the picture,” Joey replied.

“Then tell me, son. How is it that our campus

police phone trace identified your cell number as

the source of the initial picture?” he asked Joey.

“I’m not the only person who uses my cell

phone,” Joey responded snobbishly.

“It doesn’t matter,” the principal commented.

“What it means is that every person involved will

be held accountable… whether it’s you or an

accomplice,” he told Joey.

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Sure enough, Joey and a female student had

conjured up a scheme to secretly take a pic of

Nikki and text and email it among fellow students

to humiliate Nikki.

“Last month, Professor Gulu, our special guest

speaker, talked with our student body about

bullying and ‘sexting,’ sending nude photos via

cell phone. The students believed Professor

Gulu’s presentation was very beneficial.

Unfortunately, you appear to be one of the few

who weren’t paying attention or didn’t take the

presentation seriously. So let me remind you of

several key points. Several times a week, a young

girl’s reputation is destroyed when she decides to

take nude pictures of herself and text them to her

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boyfriend or some guy she likes. It doesn’t take

long before the pics are circulated among fellow

classmates or posted online for the whole world to

see,” the principal said. “The nude pictures

damages the girl’s reputation, disgraces her

family, and oftentimes, produces the kind of hurt

and shame that leads the young girl to think her

life is no longer worth living,” the principal

stated. “Listen to me carefully, Joey. Today,

school administrators and employers often look at

online profiles and do background checks to help

them select or disqualify a potential student or

employee. It’s important to realize that whatever

you text or post online could have short-term and

long-term consequences. Remember, there is no

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way to take it back. Once you text or post

something, it’s out there for good,” the principal

reminded Joey.

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Robert Freeman
Principal

Principa
l

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Reunited

Meanwhile, Joey’s father waited patiently in

the office lobby, flipping through the pages of a

sports magazine. He looked up for a brief

moment and caught the eye of an attractive well-

dressed lady completing check-in at the front

desk.

“Judy, wow! Oh my goodness!” Joey’s father

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uttered out loud, rising from his seat and greeting

her with a big smile.

“Hi, John,” she replied in a soft tone of voice.

“Wow! It’s been a long time,” John said.

“Yeah, almost a year since we last talked,” he added.

“Yes, it has been quite some time, however

Joey and I stay in contact,” she responded.

“Please, have a seat,” Joey’s father insisted,

pointing to the empty chairs in the lobby. “Tell

me, what are you doing back in Houston? Last I

heard, you were living in Chicago,” he said.

“You may find this hard to believe, but my

company recently relocated to this city. I had the

option of staying on with the company and

relocating or finding a new job. After my recent

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promotion to supervisor, I decided it was best that

I stay on and relocate,” she told him. “In addition,

I will have more time to spend with Joey,” Judy

said.

“Well, I’m sure Joey will be excited to have

his mom back in town,” John commented.

“So, what have you been doing? And why are

you sitting here is the office?” she asked John.

“I’m still working at the factory and trying to

teach Joey how to become a responsible young

man,” he said.

While Joey’s parents waited in the lobby, Joey

was sent to the counselor’s office to discuss his

bullying behavior.

Just then, the principal stepped out and beckoned

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Joey’s father to enter his office.

“Come on, join me, Judy,” John insisted.

“Let’s see what this meeting is all about,” he

said, inviting Judy to the principal’s office with

him.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Hanson,” the principal

greeted him with a hand shake.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Jones,” John replied.

“This is Joey’s mom, Judy,” he said, introducing

her to the principal.

“It a pleasure to meet you, Judy,” the principal

commented.

“Likewise, Mr. Jones,” Judy responded

politely.

“Please… have a seat,” the principal insisted.

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“I wish I could have invited you here under better

circumstances,” the principal said in a solemn

tone. “But unfortunately, we do have a big

problem on our hands,” he told them.

“Okay, what is it?” Mr. Jones asked, with a

puzzled look on his face.

“It has come to our attention that Joey has

been bullying one of our female students,” the

principal told them.

“What? Joey?” Judy asked, baffled by the

principal’s comment.

“Yes, Joey,” Mr. Jones replied.

“Come on, there must be a mistake. You sure

you have the right kid?” Mr. Hanson asked.

“I’m sure this must come as shocking news to

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you, but the evidence speaks for itself,” the

principal replied.

“Evidence? What evidence?” Mr. Hanson asked,

asked, finding the accusation difficult to believe.

“This I’ve got to see,” Judy remarked, still

baffled by the principal’s report.

“The first bullying incident was brought to my

attention when Joey intentionally spilled his

carton of milk on this female student, covering

her from head to toe. Next, it was discovered that

a very close acquaintance of Joey placed glue in

the hair of this same female student,” the principal

added.

“Hey, wait a minute! You can’t hold him

accountable for the actions of another student,”

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Mr. Hanson stated, sounding defensive.

“Perhaps not, but Joey’s involvement in a

series of incidents resulting in the mistreatment

and bullying of this particular student is too

numerous to be considered coincidental,” the

principal said.

“I find this so hard to believe,” Judy said.

“There is more,” the principal said. “There are

reports of rumors, name-calling, and our school

security cameras captured Joey writing some

pretty harsh words on this student’s locker,” he

told them.

“What’s going on with Joey?” Judy asked her

ex-husband, searching for an explanation.

“Well, obviously something,” Mr. Hanson said,

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appearing very concerned.

They both turn their attention back to the

principal.

“And finally, this picture, taken with Joey’s

cell phone, was circulated among students all over

campus,” the principal stated, showing Joey’s

parents an enlarged copy of the photo.

“Nikki?” Judy uttered out loud, reacting with

surprise and totally caught off guard by the photo.

“You know this student?” the principal asked

Judy.

“Oh, for crying out loud! I don’t believe this!

That’s my daughter!” Judy exclaimed. “I adopted

her several months ago before moving back to

Houston. She has been living here with my sister

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until I completely moved all of our belongings

from Chicago,” she told them.

“This is unbelievable! Joey told me you had a

surprise for him, but he had no idea what it was,”

Mr. Hanson commented.

“So, Nikki is Joey’s adopted sister. Oh, this

situation is getting more interesting by the

minute,” the principal said, shaking his head.

“Well, now I know why your secretary called

and requested that I come to the office today,”

Judy told the principal. “I was under the

impression it had something to do with school

enrollment,” she added.

“I, too, wish we were meeting under much

more favorable circumstances,” the principal

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remarked.

“Well, where do we go from here?” Mr.

Hanson asked the principal.

“We address the element of surprise,” the

principal said, before pressing the button on his

speaker phone. “Ms. Jones, please escort Joey to

my office,” the principal requested, speaking

calmly over the speaker.

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The Big Surprise

Shortly afterward, Joey was escorted to the

principal’s office by Ms. Jones. A soft knock was

heard before Ms. Jones quietly opened the door.

“Joey, come in,” the principal commanded.

Joey entered the office and immediately locked

eyes with his mother.

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“Mom!” he blurted out, looking totally and

pleasantly surprised.

Judy arose from her chair and greeted Joey

with a big hug. “It’s so good to see you again,”

she told Joey, kissing him on the forehead.

“Mom, what are you doing here?” Joey asked.

“Before she answers that question, aren’t you

going to speak to your father?” Mr. Hanson asked

his son.

“Oh, hi dad,” Joey replied, still wondering why

his mother was present.

“Okay, let’s be seated so we can get down to

business,” the principal demanded. “First, Joey,

I’ve informed your parents of your violation of

our school’s bullying policy. Bullying is a serious

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matter, and there are many issues that need to be

addressed. Second, there are consequences for

violating school policies, which we will address

before you leave here today. And finally,

bullying is a cry for help. You’re obviously

hurting and you want others to feel your pain,” he

told Joey.

Joey sat quietly, trying not to appear upset.

“Before this is all over, Joey, you will have

learned a great deal about yourself, and you’ll be

much better off having gone through this

experience. However, there is something else just

as important you should know,” the principal said.

Suddenly, the principal presses the speaker

button on his phone. “Ms. Jones, please escort

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Nikki to my office,” he said, speaking softly over

the speaker.

Moments later, they heard a knock on the

principal’s door.

“Please, come in,” the principal instructed

Nikki, seemingly in a deeper voice.

As Nikki walked through the door, her eyes

bulged and she shuddered with fear.

“Don’t be afraid!” the principal uttered in a

reassuring tone of voice. Nikki’s heart was

pounding profusely in her chest. She raised her

head, made direct eye contact with Joey, and

stepped away from him.

“Nikki,” a soft voice called out her name.

Nikki turned her attention to the soft-spoken

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voice.

“Mom!” she cried, dashing over and gripping

her mother’s hand tightly. Nikki was obviously

nervous and uncertain of what to expect.

“Everything is okay, honey. You can relax,”

she told Nikki in a calm and reassuring tone.

“I’m here for you,” Judy said, gently caressing

Nikki’s dark brown hair.

“Mom?” Joey uttered, looking shocked and

totally confused.

“Yes, Joey, Nikki called me Mom. Nikki is the

surprise I told you about last month. So, meet

your adopted sister,” she told Joey.

“What? No way! You’re kidding me, right?”

Joey asked, finding it hard to believe.

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“Joey, I’m a little too old to be playing games

with people’s lives,” his mother commented.

“Listen, sweetheart, Nikki needed a family, and

someone to help her understand what it’s like to

be loved. I’ve prayed and prayed with all my

heart that you would love and accept her the way

that I have loved you,” she told Joey, as tears

began to roll down her cheeks. “Joey, of all the

things I could have gotten you, I don’t believe I

could have given you a better gift,” Judy said,

rising to her feet and dashing out the principal’s

office in tears.

Joey’s father stood up and rushed out of the

office behind Judy. The principal sat quietly as

Nikki’s eyes welled up with tears.

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Suddenly, Joey slowly arose from his chair,

grabbed a tissue from the principal’s desk, and

began to dry Nikki’s tears.

“I’m so sorry,” Joey told Nikki, giving her a

big hug and breaking down in tears.

Moments later, Mr. Hanson and Judy returned

to the principal’s office. Judy was no longer

crying.

“Please join us,” the principal told them. As

they took their seats, they glared at each other

with a look of amazement.

“Wow! What a pleasant surprise. Have we

really been gone that long?” Judy asked,

observing Joey seating next to Nikki, holding her

hand.

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“It’s amazing how fast things change when

people can feel the pain they cause others,” the

principal said. “I’d like to refer you all to a

counselor. His name is Professor Gulu. I believe

Professor Gulu will be the perfect match for your

situation,” the principal told them. “But first,

there must be consequences for the violation of

our school’s anti-bullying policies,” the principal

added.

“I believe consequences are appropriate,” Mr.

Hanson replied.

“For a first offense, our policies state that an

incident report must be filed with local law

enforcement. If a student is found guilty of

bullying, the student is charged with a summary

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offense and must appear in juvenile court for

disciplinary action,” the principal said.

“Wow! Is going to Court really necessary?”

Mr. Hanson asked.

“It’s not only necessary, it’s mandatory,” the

principal replied. “This is Joey’s first offense.

Taking the necessary steps at this stage will

hopefully discourage or deter future acts of

bullying,” the principal stated. “Failure to set

firm limits and comply with court-ordered

counseling oftentimes result in costly fines to

parents, student suspension or mandatory

expulsion from school,” the principal explained.

“Well, we’ll make sure we don’t delay by

starting counseling immediately,” Judy replied.

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Mr. Hanson nodded his head in agreement.

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Working it Out

The next day was Saturday. Joey, Nikki and

their parents arrived at Professor Gulu’s office for

their 10:00 a.m. appointment. As they entered the

office, Professor Gulu stood up to greet the

family.

“Good morning, please come in and be

seated,” Professor Gulu insisted.

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Once the family was seated, Mr. Hanson took

a moment to introduce everyone to Professor

Gulu. Professor Gulu was a wise young

counselor who specialized in helping troubled

youth. He had a nicely trimmed spiked hairstyle

and he wore a pair of black rimmed eyeglasses.

“Mr. Hanson, it’s a pleasure to meet you and

your family this morning. How can I help you?”

Professor Gulu asked.

Mr. Hanson took a long pause and cleared his

throat.

“We were referred to your office by my son’s

school principal. Our son, Joey, was referred to

juvenile court for a bullying offense,” he told

Professor Gulu.

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Joey glared at Professor Gulu and dropped his

head in shame.

“So, Joey’s problem of bullying resulted in

him having to appear in Court,” Professor Gulu

replied. “Tell me, how did this all start?”

Professor Gulu inquired.

“Well, first off, John and I are divorced,” Judy

told Professor Gulu. “I moved to Chicago and

Joey lived here with his dad,” she added. “Within

the past two months, our company relocated to

Houston, leaving me the option to return here or

find a new job. As you see, I decided to transfer

back to Houston and stay on with the company”

Judy said.

“You’ve gone through a divorce, relocated to

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Chicago and made a courageous decision to

transfer back to Houston with your company.

Obviously, staying on with your company was

more important to you than finding a new job,”

Professor Gulu remarked.

“Yes, you’re absolutely correct,” Judy

responded. “In addition, relocating to Houston

gives me more time to spend with my son, Joey,”

she clarified.

“With Joey living here in Houston and you

working in Chicago, I’m sure you must have

missed him a lot,” Professor Gulu said.

“Oh, I don’t believe anyone else could imagine

how much,” Judy commented, glaring at her son

affectionately.

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“Oh, Mom, you’re embarrassing me,” Joey said,

blushing.

“Judy, you mentioned earlier that you’re

divorced, but your family seems so warm and

caring. What happened?” Professor Gulu asked.

“Oh, it’s a long story. Perhaps John can better

explain it,” Judy said, staring directly at John.

“Well, even though Judy and I are divorced, I

still love her. Unfortunately, years of drinking and

losing my temper finally took a toll on our

marriage. Judy tried to get me involved in

“alcoholic anonymous,” but I didn’t believe I had

a drinking problem.

“Um… drinking alcohol and not controlling

your temper finally ruined your marriage.

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Apparently these two problems were more serious

than you realized,” Professor Gulu replied.

“The drinking was a major problem, but losing

his temper was awfully frightening,” Judy

remarked. “After John refused to attend AA, I

thought getting him involved in an anger

management group would be helpful,” she added.

“Well, the anger management groups appeared

to help until I took my next drink. I had no idea

there was so much rage and pain bottled up inside

me. I thought drinking would help numb or void

out the pain,” John explained.

“Although drinking alcohol may seem to bring

some temporary relief, it’s a well-known fact that

drinking alcohol often fuels destructive rages,”

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Professor Gulu commented.

“Oh boy, do we know that all too well,” Judy

uttered under her breath.

“John, now I think we’re getting somewhere.

Tell me more about your rage and pain, and what

brought about these unpleasant feelings,”

Professor Gulu asked.

“I thought the purpose of this session was to

help Joey overcome his problem with bullying,”

John replied defensively, with round and slightly

bulging eyes.

“Please, allow me to explain,” Professor Gulu

responded politely. “First, understanding the

people and the environment that has the greatest

influence on Joey’s behavior is a good place to

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start. And secondly, gathering this information

will help us more accurately pinpoint the

underlying cause of Joey’s misconduct,”

Professor Gulu stated.

“Honey, you’ve told me repeatedly how much

it hurt you whenever your dad came home drunk

and physically abused your mom. You said you

were only a small kid and couldn’t stand up to

your father, but your size didn’t stop you from

trying,” Judy expressed courageously.

“Why do you have to bring that up in here?”

Mr. Hanson vented angrily.

“Mr. Hanson, Judy has demonstrated great

courage by bringing up an old problem that still

causes you tremendous pain. As you can see,

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many years later, it’s apparent that drinking

alcohol and experiencing anger outbursts have not

resolved the problem,” Professor Gulu told him.

“I just couldn’t stop him,” Mr. Hanson said,

breaking down in tears. “I was only a kid and I

wasn’t strong enough. You got to believe me! I

tried… I really tried. There was no one else

around to help me. I watched him hit my mom

over and over again, knocking her to the floor and

then beating me for trying to stop him. You don’t

understand what that was like! I did my best!”

Mr. Hanson cried out painfully, sobbing

profusely.

“Sweetheart, it’s okay,” Judy said, wiping his

tears and giving John a big hug.

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“Mr. Hanson, I appreciate you having the

courage to share such an intense and painful past

experience. Today, you faced these unpleasant

feelings and memories without losing your temper

and using alcohol. I commend you for taking

such an enormous risk,” Professor Gulu told him.

Joey and Nikki looked on in total silence,

understanding for the very first time the deeply

rooted hurt and pain that Joey’s father carried

inside.

“I want you to know I’m proud of you, John.

We’re gonna get through this together,” Judy told

him.

Just then, Nikki took a tissue from the box on

Professor Gulu’s desk and offered it to Mr.

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Hanson.

“Thank you, sweetheart,” he told Nikki. Mr.

Hanson lifted up his head and made direct eye

contact with his son.

“Joey, I’m sorry son. Something tells me that

I’m the reason you’re here today. But I believe I

can change, stop drinking, get control of my

feelings and become a better man. And if the

apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, I’m confident

you can do the same,” he told Joey.

“Dad, after everything I’ve heard in here

today, I’m off to a whole new start,” Joey told his

father.

Mr. Hanson makes eye contact with Professor

Gulu.

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 Kids and Bullying

“Professor Gulu- you’re the man. You came

highly recommended. We’re counting on you to

help us through it!” Mr. Hanson said.

“Good, we’ll start by scheduling our next

session,” Professor Gulu replied.

As they exited Professor Gulu’s office, Mr.

Hanson offered to treat Judy, Nikki, and Joey to a

large 3-topping pizza.

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 QUIZ

 PARENT AND CHILD SAFETY TIPS

 RESOURCES

 QUIZ

 PARENT AND CHILD SAFETY TIPS

 RESOURCES

 MUSIC CD (SONGS)

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 Kids and Bullying

QUIZ (True or
False)

Instructions: Please write True if the statement is

true or False if the statement is false in the blank
space provided. Identify where you found your
answer by writing the page number at the end of
each sentence.

1. Throughout the month, kids from the

neighborhood gathered at the softball field to
play.

2. Regina is a 14-year-old Cuban

female with dark brown eyes and wavy black
hair.

3. Regina’s photos had been digitally

manipulated to show her in undergarments,
sitting next to Ron in the back seat of a car.

4. The principal said the staff strongly

encouraged and empowered bystanders to play
an active role in preventing bullying from
occurring.

5. Sexting is watching nude photos

online.

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6. Several times a week, a young

girl’s reputation is destroyed when she decides
to take nude pics of herself and text them to her
boyfriend or some guy she likes.

7. The principal said he was texted a

pic that has been circulating around the campus
all week.

8. The principal said once you text or

post something, it’s out there for three months
before the site’s webmaster takes it down.

9. Mr. Hanson admitted that years of

drinking and losing his temper finally took a
toll on his job performance.

10. Professor Gulu told Joey’s father

that understanding the people and the
environment that has the greatest influence on
Joey’s behavior is a good place to start.

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 Kids and Bullying

ANTI-BULLYING SAFETY TIPS

For Students:

 Tell an adult immediately if you are being

bullied. It is recommended that you tell
more than one trusted adult, such as your
parents, teachers, school administrators,
counselors and law enforcement officers.

 Set aside a date and time to practice with

your parents or guardians what to do or say
if you or someone in your presence is being
bullied.

 Speak up if someone is being bullied in

your presence. Ask the bully to stop. Get
adult help immediately to prevent harm to
the victim and/or others.
 Stay calm and walk away. Don’t challenge
bullies or try to prove you’re tough. A fight
can result in serious injuries and legal
charges being filed.

 Avoid being a bystander that encourages

and entertains the bully with an audience.
Tell the bully his/her behavior is

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 unacceptable and encourage bystanders to walk

away and get help.

 Refuse to give bullies what they want.

They want you to give them your attention,
act afraid and upset, and to challenge them.
Let bullies know they don’t matter to you and
cannot manipulate you into responding
negatively to their aggressive and hostile
behaviors. Remember, walk away quickly
and immediately report their behavior to a
trusted adult.

 Start or join school committees or anti-

bullying programs dedicated to preventing
bullying in your school and neighborhoods.

 Seek adult help or professional counseling if

you are a bully who is serious about changing
your behavior and treating others with
respect.

For Parents:

 Establish trust and develop rapport with

your children. Talk with your children each
day about their school day. It’s important
that your children feel safe and free to

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 Kids and Bullying

 communicate with you about both simple

and serious matters.

 Find out how much your children know

about bullying and cyberbullying. Give
examples and help them identify the
differences between them.

 Teach your children in advance how to

respond to a bully. Practice with your
children what to say and do if ever
approached by a bully.

 Ask your children to provide examples of

both physical bullying and non-physical
bullying.

 Role play with your children what to do if

they witness someone being bullied or if
they are being pressured by their peers to
join in bullying with others.

 Meet the bus driver. Make sure children

know they can ask the bus driver, teachers,
and cafeteria staff for help.

 Instruct children who are bullied to talk

with campus police or a trusted adult and
not carry weapons to defend themselves.
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 Kids and Bullying

 The victim, bystanders, and others may be

seriously injured if weapons are involved.

 Schedule an urgent meeting with the

school’s principal or administrator if your
child is being bullied.

 Report any incident of cyberbullying to

your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

 If someone is bullying your child through a

cell phone, report the problem to your
service provider. If the problem continues,
you can change the cell number.

 Consult with an attorney and notify the

bully’s parents or guardians that you will
file legal charges with the school board and
law enforcement if the bullying doesn’t
stop.

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Answers to Quiz

1. False: Kids gathered at the soccer field, not

softball field.

2. False: Regina is a 14-year-old Hispanic

female, not Cuban female.

3. True

4. True

5. False: Sexting is the act of sending sexually

explicit messages or photographs, primarily
between mobile phones.

6. True

7. True

8. False: The principal said once you text or

post something, it’s out there for good.

9. False: Mr. Hanson admitted that years of

drinking and losing his temper finally took a
toll on his marriage.

10. True

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Additional Online Resources

Cartoon Network: Stop Bullying: Speak Up

stopbullying.gov

U.S Dept. of Health and Human Resources:

Stop bullying now!

U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Resources:

Cyberbullying

Bullying Prevention – National Crime

Prevention Council

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 Kids and Bullying

PROFESSOR GULU’S

NATION AL CHILD SAFETY CAMPAIGN

Below is a list of books and Cerebrophonic

music topics created by Professor Gulu, including
his scientifically proven approach to learning
called Cerebrophonics:

Cerebrophonics – A style of learning that uses

upbeat music to increase the flow of noradrenaline
in the brain, resulting in kids being more excited
and motivated during the learning process.

Simply put, Cerebrophonics makes learning fun!

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 Kids and Bullying

And now, with Cerebrophonics, topics and lessons that

parents agree to be of tremendous importance to kids
can be taught and effectively communicated through
online digital lyric sheets and fun-filled music.

So, get excited while you learn use Cerebrophonics!

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 Kids and Bullying

Cerebrophonic Music & Book Topics

1. The Basic Fundamentals of Learning

2. Obeying Rules
3. Oral Hygiene Care
4. Kids and Fire Safety
5. Internet Predators/Child Abduction
6. Bullying and Cyberbullying
7. Type 2 Diabetes/Obesity
8. No Talking or Texting While Driving and
Seat Belt Safety
9. HIV/ AIDS Awareness
10. Substance Abuse Prevention
11. Sexual Abuse Prevention
12. Self-Estee m Awareness
13. Gang Violence

Website: www.professorgulu.com
www.professorgulumusic99cents.com

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 Kids and Bullying

Play it Safe!

"It's always a good idea to read to your child."

Professor Gulu

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 Kids and Bullying

Parents Subscribe for only 99 cents per month

www.professorgulumusic99cents.com

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 Kids and Bullying

About the Author

The desire to reduce pain and suffering of children

and empower youth to be the best they can be is what
inspired Karl A. Floyd to create his Professor Gulu
stories and Cerebrophonic music series.
With a focus on increasing youth coping skills,
safety awareness, self-esteem, judgment and decision-
making abilities, Professor Gulu’s learning series has
become a powerful tool to help gauge youth progress
towards emotional maturity. In addition, the series
will help parents and guardians learn effective
communication skills and develop insight and
understanding on complex issues that affect youth
development.
A resident of Fort Bend County, Texas, Karl lives
with his wife and business partner, Ann Branch -Floyd,
and develops educational and therapeutic resources
that support healthy community development. He
holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology
from the University of Houston, University Par k, and
works as a behavioral healthcare professional. Karl is
a former Statewide Health Coordinating Council
Member with the Governor’s Office of Boards and
Commissions (2004-2010) and is licensed as a
professional counselor. In addition, he is certified as a
Fellow and Diplomate of the American Board of
Medical Psychotherapists and Psychodiagnosticians.

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