Policy Memos

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In April 2010, the second president of Kyrgyzstan, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, was ousted from power after bloody clashes between authorities and protesters. He finally settled in Belarus, following the trajectory of his predecessor Askar Akayev, who ended up in Moscow after the Tulip Revolution of 2005. Opposition leaders, most of whom served under both Akayev and Bakiyev, established an “interim government” and promised to develop a system that would prevent rule by one person or family. The successful ouster of a corrupt authoritarian leader—the second time in five years—once again revitalized hopes that Kyrgyzstan has indeed put an end to authoritarianism and corruption. Doubts persist, however, about whether the Kyrgyz elite, and society in general, will be able to develop a viable alternative political system governedfrom nearly 1,200 submitted to the magazine for an essay contest conducted in partnership with Nicholas Kristof of The New York Times. (Visit teenink.com to read some of the devastating personal accounts of bullying that were submitted, as well as teenagers’ insights on how to address the problem.)

Beyond the Screen

Lee Hirsch, who was born and raised on Long Island and currently lives in Manhattan, has taken his film Bully beyond the closing credits with a companion book due out this October to coincide with National Bullying Prevention Month. Bully: An Action Plan for Teachers, Parents, and Communities to Combat the Bullying Crisis by Hirsch and Cynthia Lowen (Weinstein Books) provides concrete, actionable advice and a plethora of resources. It is a must-read for every parent and educator.

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