Honors College seminar hosts internationally recognized anti-bullying advocate

Oct. 26, 2018 | Honors College |

The Harding University Honors College will host Paul Coughlin, an expert in the field of school and workplace bullying, as part of the L.C. Sears Collegiate Seminar Series at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 30 in the American Heritage Auditorium. Coughlin will speak on the topic "How to Bring God’s Love & Justice Into the ‘Theater of Bullying.'" The event is open to the public and admission is free.

“The Honors College presents the Sears Seminar Series each year to promote a better understanding of life and how best to navigate in a Christ-like way,” said Dr. Mike James, dean of the Honors College. “The presentation Tuesday evening will be primarily about our kids and how we can deal with this prevalent problem [of bullying] in our schools — and even our workplaces.”

Coughlin is a best-selling author of eight books, including his latest Free Us from Bullying: Real Solutions Beyond Being Nice, as well as the freedom-from-bullying parent and teacher resource Raising Bully-Proof Kids. He works with numerous professional organizations to diminish bullying, including the Baltimore Ravens. His anti-bullying curriculum is used throughout North America as well as in England, South Africa, Uganda, Australia, New Zealand and Brazil among other countries.

“Virtually every educator agrees that bullying is a significant problem,” James said. “Though it has always been an issue in schools, the expansion of digital media puts bullying in the relatively anonymous hands of everyone. These actions affect everyone — the teachers, parents, the victim and the bully.”

Coughlin is the founder and president of The Protectors, an international, freedom-from-bullying organization that partners with both faith-based and values-based groups to combat what is now the No. 1 form of child abuse in the nation, and the No. 1 concern of both parents and students.

“The auditorium is large but I'd love to fill it with teachers and concerned parents who do not want to ‘bury their head in the sand’ over this significant problem,” James said. “Everyone with a connection to children will benefit from this presentation.”

An expert witness regarding bullying and the law, Coughlin is a Fox News contributor who has appeared on Good Morning America, Nightline, New York Times, LA Times, C-SPAN and Newsweek, among other media outlets.

The L.C. Sears series was named after the University’s first academic dean and was designed to contribute to his quest for academic excellence. Sponsoring the event is the Honors College, the College of Education, The American Studies Institute, and the JesseDylanJames Foundation.