Brenda High of Pasco, Wash., is founder and executive director of Bully Police USA, which rates states’ anti-bullying laws. She says it is difficult to gain passage of such laws if they specify protection of victims based on sexual orientation; also, she says that categorizing children under protected categories can stigmatize them and take the focus offthe […]

The Unity Project is a non-profit, school-based bias and harassment prevention program focused on Maine middle and high schools. The mission of UP is to build strong leadership among young people and adults to prevent harassment and create safe schools. It is a continuation of the efforts started by the Center for Preventing Hate.

Stephen Wessler is the former executive director of the Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence, based in Portland, Maine. Before it closed, the center offered anti-bullying workshops in schools across the nation. Wessler is now training and consulting on a variety of civil rights and human rights issues both in Maine, elsewhere in the US and in Europe.

Finn Laursen is executive director of Christian Educators Association International, which endorsed the Common Ground guidelines.

Eliza Byard is executive director of the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, which endorsed the Common Ground guidelines. The network, based in New York City, has registered more than 3,000 Gay-Straight Alliance student clubs in schools nationwide; coordinates an annual No Name-Calling Week and organizes the national Day of Silence.

Gene R. Carter is executive director of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, which endorsed the Common Ground guidelines.

Daniel A. Domenech is executive director of the American Association of School Administrators, which endorsed the Common Ground guidelines.

Wayne Jacobsen is founder and president of BridgeBuilders, based in Moorpark, Calif. He co-drafted the Common Ground guidelines. Read Jacobsen’s June 2006 report about the process of creating an anti-harassment policy in Marshalltown, Iowa, public schools.

Robert Wexler is president of the American Jewish University (formerly the University of Judaism and the Brandeis-Bardin Institute) in Los Angeles. Under his presidency, AJU has grown to 10,000 students.