HomeMy WebLinkAboutEdina_Reads_Bullying_April_2013
City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424
Contact: Emilie Kastner, Communications Assistant
Phone 952-826-0342 • Fax 952-826-0389 • www.EdinaMN.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Human Rights & Relations Commission to co-host anti-bullying event
Edina, Minn., April 4, 2013 – An anti-bullying Edina Reads event will be held 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, April
22 in the Fireside Room of the Edina Senior Center, 5280 Grandview Square.
Featuring the book A Thinking Man’s Bully: Unstuck In Time, Unburdened By Convention, And Liberated From Fact
by Michael Adelberg, the event is a collaboration of the Edina Human Rights & Relations Commission (HRRC),
Edina Reads Committee and League of Women Voters of Edina.
Inspired by a situation in which his son was bullied by a child whose father not only encouraged the behavior,
but actually bullied him, too, Adelberg sought to write a piece from the point of view of the bully – from
adolescence to parenthood. “I realized that he wasn’t going to do a darn thing about it, but he was also not a
bad guy,” Adelberg said of his conversation with the parent in a press interview. “He was just in this sort of
post-modern male conundrum of not wanting a wimp for a son and was proud that his son was a bada--, but
he knew that he couldn’t admit that.”
“We want to educate and we want to expose people to these issues,” said Arnie Bigbee, Human Rights &
Relations Commissioner. “We think the issue [of bullying] is very important in our community. I think if we
have families or segments of our community that think it’s not an issue or a problem here in Edina, we need
to set that aside because that’s not accurate.”
Betsy Cussler, retired 35-year English teacher at Edina High School whose focus was on Advanced Placement
Literature and current consultant for the College Board, will lead the discussion of the book.
For more information on the HRRC or to get involved, visit www.EdinaMN.gov. For more information on
Adelberg, visit www.michaeladelberg.com.
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