What follows is the speech delivered by First Lady Michelle Obama at the anti-bullying summit March 10:
MRS. OBAMA: Good morning. Thank you. (Applause.) Everyone, please. Good morning, and welcome to the White House.
I want to thank all of you for joining us here today to discuss an issue of great concern to me and to Barack, not just as President and as First Lady, but as a mom and a dad. And that is the problem of bullying in our schools and in our communities.
As parents, this issue really hits home for us. As parents, it breaks our hearts to think that any child feels afraid every day in the classroom, or on the playground, or even online. It breaks our hearts to think about any parent losing a child to bullying, or just wondering whether their kids will be safe when they leave for school in the morning.
And as parents, Barack and I also know that sometimes, maybe even a lot of the time, it's really hard for parents to know what's going on in our kids' lives.
We don't always know, because they don't always tell us every little detail. We know that from Sasha. Sasha's response is"What happened at school today?" "Nothing." (Laughter.) That's it. It's like, well, we're taking you out of that school. (Laughter.)
So as parents, we know we need to make a real effort to be engaged in our children's lives, to listen to them and be there for them when they need us. We need to get involved in their schools and in their activities so that we know what they're up to, both in and out of the classroom. And when something is wrong, we need to speak up, and we need to take action.
That's just what Jacqui Knight did. She's a mom from Moore, Okla., who's here with us today. We got a chance to spend some time with her before. But when her child was bullied, she got together with other parents and planned community meetings where parents and students could share their stories. They also held meetings for the public to raise awareness about bullying. And they've been meeting with the school board and superintendent to discuss steps that they can take to keep their kids safe.
But parents aren't the only ones who have a responsibility. We all need to play a roleas teachers, coaches, as faith leaders, elected officials, and anyone who's involved in our children's lives. And that doesn't just mean working to change our kids' behavior and recognize and reward kids who are already doing the right thing. It means thinking about our own behavior as adults as well.
We all know that when we, as adults, treat others with compassion and respect, when we take the time to listen and give each other the benefit of the doubt in our own adult lives, that sets an example for our children. It sends a message to our kids about how they treat others.
So we all have a lot of work to do in this country on this issue. And I hope that all of you, and everyone who is watching online, will walk away from this day, from this conference, with new ideas and solutions that you can all take back to your own schools and your own communities. And I hope that all of us will step up and do our part to keep our kids safe, and to give them everything they need to learn and grow and fulfill their dreams.
So with that, it is my pleasure to introduce this guy here(laughter)my husband and our President, President Barack Obama. (Applause.)
To read the entire speech, visit www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php.