Stand for the Silent is a youth movement against bullying

Photo by Keira Burton

Upon meeting and shaking hands with Kirk Smalley, he presents as a regular, down-to-earth middle-American man. But Smalley is at the forefront of a growing youth movement against anti-bullying, with chapters of his organization, Stand for the Silent (SFTS) spreading across the country.

“SFTS began as a labor of love, with me and my wife Laura giving presentations at local schools about the harm bullying can do to kids. That was almost fifteen years ago. Since then, it has transformed into a truly inspiring movement, including thousands of students, parents, teachers, and community members located all throughout the United States,” says Kirk Smalley co-founder of Stand for the Silent.

As the years have passed, the organization has evolved to include a network of student-run satellite chapters, cyberbullying resources for parents, K-2 educational anti-bullying curriculum for teachers, multimedia advertising campaigns, several annual scholarships awarded to teens whose actions embody the anti-bullying spirit, and even a 2013 collaboration with recording artist Morgan Frazier that produced the hit song Hey Bully.

Smalley is especially proud of the student-run chapters, noting that the enthusiasm shown by SFTS’s young membership is the organization’s lifeblood. “Those kids, the ones that dedicate their spare time to raising awareness about how bullying can ruin lives, are just absolutely remarkable. They meet during lunch hours and after school to craft promotional materials, create skits, make videos, and plan events to educate their peers and communities. They’re the reason I keep going, those kids – the reason I remain hopeful about the future.”

The origins of Stand for the Silent lie in tragedy. In 2010, Kirk and Laura Smalley’s son Ty took his own life as a result of being bullied relentlessly. Instead of mourning quietly and feeling helpless, the Smalley’s became determined to do something about the issue. With the help of a group of sympathetic and outgoing high schoolers from nearby Oklahoma City, Stand for the Silent was formed that same year to honor Ty’s memory.

“When the organization was first being formed, it was our hope, Laura’s and mine, that from the depths of our despair, some good might arise,” Smalley states. “What Stand for the Silent has managed to accomplish since then has been truly amazing. I like to think that through our efforts, we’ve prevented other young people from feeling hopeless and contemplating taking their own lives.”

Laura Smalley, Ty’s mother, Kirk’s wife, and Stand for the Silent’s co-founder, passed away in 2020, leaving Kirk as the primary spokesperson and face of the organization. STFS set up a scholarship in her name not long thereafter, alongside the one celebrating Ty’s legacy.

Far from discouraging Kirk, the loss of his wife has emboldened him to pursue Stand for the Silent’s mission with renewed vigor. “It’s what she would’ve wanted,” he says solemnly. “She would’ve wanted us to keep going, to push through, and above all else, to keep trying to help as many kids as possible. So, that’s what I’ll do.”

Considering Kirk Smalley’s compelling backstory and determined attitude, it’s not difficult to see how his message of hope, tolerance, and compassion continues to resonate with students of all ages throughout the country.

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