Barrington Teacher Honored For Anti-Bullying Efforts

BARRINGTON (CBS) -- One high school teacher in Barrington, is hoping to give his students a life-long lesson about tolerance.

CBS 2's Chris Martinez examined the teacher's efforts to combat bullying.

For math teacher Tony Venetico, there are many problems he loves to deal with.

Then there are others he wishes he didn't.

"I think bullying is a problem everywhere you go," he said.

It is something he's seen up close as a teacher at Barrington High School.

He's seen the bullying of students--for reasons spanning from their weight to sexual orientation.

He decided enough was enough.

"One of missions here as a teacher is not only let people hopefully leave our school being smart people, but also good people," Venetico said.

So, he created a public service announcement to make everyone at Barrington to feel loved and respected.

The three-minute video was made with students and other teachers and is part of a school-wide campaign to bring a conversation about bullying to the surface.

So far, Venetico said, it's working.

"It really led to a lot of really good conversations with students about how many people really are silenced," he said.

Creating the PSA came from a sense of duty as an educator.

"It's one of those things, it's awareness not only for the students, but I think it's awareness for the adults in our building and also the adults in our community," Venetico said.

Venetico learned this week that he's been nominated for an award by a national gay-straight education alliance group for his anti-bullying efforts.