This week, a group of students visited Mayor Rogero to help draw attention to the damage done by bullying.

Led by Roddy Biggs, Pellissippi Pride President and Pellissippi State Safe Zone Student Leader, the group also included members of the L&N STEM Academy’s Equality Club.

“STEM is a school where students acknowledge each other’s differences, and basically agree that, if you don’t point out mine, I won’t point out yours,” said Timothy Powell, the club’s sponsor and assistant to Academy Principal Becky Ashe.

Mayor Rogero presented the group with a proclamation declaring the week of January 16 - 20 as No Name-Calling Week in Knoxville. According to the proclamation, the week’s purpose is to “reduce name-calling and bullying on the basis of body size, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, physical or mental ability, race, religion, sexual orientation, social or academic standing, or any other attribute for which students are singled out.” The proclamation also quotes studies that have shown that both bullies and victims of bullying experience a lack of success in school.

“Whereas, name-calling has no place in our schools,” she read aloud.  She then broke from the text and looked around at the students. “Or in our society, for that matter,” she continued.

Biggs thanked the Mayor for her support and reminded those assembled that in 2012, Mayor Rogero became the first Mayor of Knoxville to participate in Knoxville PrideFest. Mayor Rogero praised the students for their positivity and awareness.

The club, which at 53 members is the largest LGBT student group in the area, will hold a school event to present the proclamation on January 17; their goal is to host a large event with other area schools’ gay-straight alliance clubs at the L&N Academy in the future.