Dressed as nerd stereotypes with taped glasses and suspenders, two social superheroes led three of the city's elementary schools through a series of songs and motivational speeches decrying bullying.
Students clapped and shouted as The Morris Brothers, Rupert and Homer, lead them through a series of role-playing scenarios at Plympton Elementary School on Friday. Through the performance the two brothers covered bullying basics from teasing to assault, and even shared their own experiences.
"The whole time we were being picked on, we felt like we deserved it," Rupert said. "But you know what? No one deserves it."
Plympton student Timmy Seale said because of Friday's show he knows what do do when encountering a bully.
"(Bullying) can hurt someone," the 7-year-old said. "I'll tell the teacher next time (I see bullying.)"
Six-year-old Plympton student Malik Henderson said he remembers being bullied by a student "who took a ball from me."
Stanley student Aaron McKinney, 8, said he now knows how to deal with bullies thanks to the Morris Brothers.
"I liked (learning) how to keep away from the bully or how to handle them," he said. "It hurts people's feelings or could hurt someone."
The parent teacher organizations representing Stanley, MacArthur and Plympton elementary schools provided funding to bring acting duo from California to perform on Friday.
MacArthur Principal Anthony Colannino said he will not tolerate bullying in his school and thought The Morris Brothers offered a valuable lesson.
"Anti-bullying has been a very important message at MacArthur school that predates me."
Former principal Deborah Ireland had brought similar programs with the various parent teacher organization, he said.
"(The Morris Brothers) gave the kids strategies on how to deal with bullies and they did it in really real terms. Teachers and students had a good time and they all learned a few things."
Susan McKinney, Stanley Elementary School parent teacher organization president, organized yesterday's show, finding the actors' Web site and pitching it to other members. She said getting two other parent teacher organizations to collaborate on booking the brothers won the schools a discounted rate.
"One of the things that is sort of our mission is to enhance and enrich curriculum," she said. "Visiting artists is one way that we do that. Every year we have a budget for visiting artists and this is the first visiting artist for the (school year)."
Plympton Principal Peter Silverman says the schools try to be judicious when selecting assembly performers.
"Bullying can be a really pervasive problem," Silverman said Friday. "I'm a firm believer in using different ways to educate kids."
Stanley Elementary School Principal Marcia Pertuz said that all children need strategies to deal with bullying.
"Bullying is no longer acceptable behavior in our culture. In Waltham public schools we have an anti-bullying program called Open Circles which reinforces this," she said.
Cindy Boudreau, Plympton Elementary School parent teacher organization co-president, said the group often tries to book visiting artists who focus on social issues.
"I also do lunch duty so I know the kids are going to be talking about this at lunch," she said. "Every child learns differently."
Jeff Gilbride can be reached at 781-398-8005 or at jgilbrid@cnc.com
