Globetrotters share anti-bully message

The internationally known Harlem Globetrotters, the masters of basketball wizardry, made an appearance Tuesday at Johnson Elementary School to continue its campaign against bullying.
 

In assemblies featuring 8-year Trotters veteran Shane “Skooter” Christiansen, students were taught the ABC’s to deal with and prevent bullying, a major cause of problems in many schools located in the inter-city and poorer neighborhoods.

The internationally known Harlem Globetrotters, the masters of basketball wizardry, made an appearance Tuesday at Johnson Elementary School to continue its campaign against bullying.
 

In assemblies featuring 8-year Trotters veteran Shane “Skooter” Christiansen, students were taught the ABC’s to deal with and prevent bullying, a major cause of problems in many schools located in the inter-city and poorer neighborhoods.

 “Two weeks ago, we spent a week focusing on anti-bullying techniques,” said Dr. Christina Willis, the new principal at Johnson. “Then this program with the Globetrotters came up, so we applied and were chosen. It’s a perfect compliment to reinforce what we already taught our students.”

 Displaying moves with the basketball utilized in the team’s pregame circle ritual, Christensen dazzled the school children with his personal maneuver of spinning the ball on his nose, then rotating the ball to the top of his head without using his hands.
 Christiansen also explained the three ABC steps toward anti-bullying: action, bravery and compassion.
 

“It’s not just the bullying that we have to deal with,” said the former star at the University of Montana. “It’s teaching what to do when confronting a bully.”
 

Children are reminded not to become aggressive, but instead immediately seek assistance from an adult (action), do not confront the bully (bravery), then help those in distress by not texting images of the attack through social media (compassion), which plays into the hands of the bully.
 

The event is sponsored by the Howard Johnson hotel-restaurant chain, and the El Cajon City Council, which had board members Bob McClelland and Tony Ambrose in attendance.