Bullying in schools is a worldwide problem that can have many consequences on a child’s school experience and personal life. Statistics show that 30% of children in the United States, or 5.7 million, have been involved in bullying as either a bully, a target of bullying, or both. In 2001 a survey was taken of students in grades 6-10, 13% reported bullying others, 11% reported being the target of bullies, and another 6% said that they bullied others and were bullied themselves. [1] No doubt, the percentages have increased since then. Bullying was once thought to be a “normal and character building rite of passage” for children, but why should something that can make a child so miserable be part of growing up? We are now starting to see that bullying can create serious mental and physical health consequences for the bully and the victim. The consequences of bullying can affect a child’s performance in school, safety and even their well-being. Children have a right to attend school in a safe and accepting environment where they can learn and grow. It is important that schools be more aware of bullying and recognize that it is a problem in which they should intervene in.
Bullying is the act of making a person feel hurt, afraid, or uncomfortable and it is done repeatedly for a long period of time. When most people think about bullying, they think of an oversized kid picking on the scrawny nerd for his lunch money or giving him a swirlie just because he is weak or smart. The truth is… anyone can be a victim of bullying. No one is exempt of being a victim despite their “social clique,” no child is safe. Bullying has two categories; one, is the direct sort such as teasing, taunting, threatening, hitting, and stealing belongings just to name a few. The second is the indirect approach such as excluding a child from groups, spreading rumors, and enforcing social isolation.
All these acts could make a victim of bullying feel stressed and unwilling to go to school. Children who are bullied typically suffer from low self-esteem, and are anxious and insecure. These feelings can effect their performance in school because they are poorly paying attention to the teacher and the lesson. When it comes to doing the work, they could be too stressed or confused and therefore are not able to complete lessons to their full potential. Bullying during class can also disrupt teaching and hurt learning experiences of the whole classroom as well as the victims. Victims may be unwilling to participate in group activities and that also effects their school experience and grades as well as peer socialization. They often lack social skills and tend to isolate themselves from their peers. Sometimes, the victims are tormented so much that suicide has become an alternative to them.
There have been many suicidal deaths linked to bullying such as Jared High’s in Washington. Jared was tormented so much in middle school that he fell into a deep depression and eventually committed suicide. Jared’s family has sued his school, Paco School District, and they are not the only ones. Many families have sued their children’s schools for not stepping in and doing something about the bullying when resulting to their deaths. In such trial cases, courts have found that, “The district negligently breached its duty to protect its students from the risk of harm presented by the bully.” Or “Under well-established principles, when a pupil attends a school, he or she is a subject to the rules and discipline of the school and the protective custody of the teachers is a substituted for that of the parent.” [4] This is just another reason why schools should take bullying seriously and participate in programs to deal with it and prevent it.
There have been effective programs developed to reduce the amount of bullying in schools. Research has found that bullying is most likely to occur in schools where there is a lack of adult supervision during breaks, where teachers and students are indifferent to or accept bullying behavior, and where rules against bullying are not consistently enforced.
While approaches that simply crack down on individual bullies are rarely effective, when there is a school-wide commitment to end bullying, it can be reduced by up to 50%. One approach that has been shown to be successful focuses on changing school and classroom climates. By raising awareness about bullying, increasing teacher and parent involvement and supervision, forming clear rules and strong social norms against bullying, and providing support and protection for all students, bullying can be prevented. This approach involves teachers, principals, students, and everyone associated with the school including janitors, cafeteria workers, and crossing guards. Adults become aware of the extent of bullying at the school, and they involve themselves in changing the situation, rather than looking the other way. Students pledge not to bully other students, to help students who are bullied, and to make a point to include students who are left out. [2]
There are many anti-bullying programs out there and schools should start seriously using them. When looking at anti-bullying programs, a school should consider whether the program has characteristics such as those mentioned above. More characteristics on a good anti-bullying program could be found at http://www.njbullying.org/selectingprograms.htm.
Many will say that bullying should be a parent’s responsibility but the truth is that a parent does not witness what is going on at school as the teachers and other students do. Most of the time, the victims do not tell their parents that they are being bullied at school, so what is a parent to do? Bullying is a serious problem that can seriously affect the ability of students to progress academically and socially in and outside of school. A good intervention plan that involves all students, parents, and school staff is required to ensure that all students can learn in a safe and pleasant environment.
References
1. Nansel, T.R., Overpeck, M., Pilla, R.S., Ruan, W.J., Simons-Morton, B., & Scheidt, P. (2001). Bullying Behaviors Among US Youth: Prevalence and Association With Psychosocial Adjustment., 285(16), 2094-2100.
2. Olweus, D., Limber, S., & Mihalic, S. (1999). Blueprints for Violence Prevention, Book Nine: Bullying Prevention Program. Boulder, CO: Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence.
3. http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/friends/bullies/
4. http://www.jaredstory.com/trial_brief01.html
5. http://www.njbullying.org/selectingprograms.htm
34 responses so far ↓
acirnigl // April 17, 2009 at 7:28 am |
Bullying is a problem that has always existed in schools and I think it has reached a new level of concern due to the internet. Most of the stories I hear about bullying are a result of cyber bullying. Its much easier for kids to anonymously get on the internet and start posting insults on boards or through chats then to actively do it in person. Although this is occuring outside of the school, I think it is the responsibility of admistrators to monitor this because it effects their students and influences how the children are in school. It is obviously the parents responsibility as well, so administrators and parents need to work together to intervene.
jackiehali29 // April 17, 2009 at 9:10 pm |
I definitely feel that bullying is a huge problem in schools that is often overlooked. Many students may feel embarrassed addressing the issue or telling an adult that they are being bullied. It is the responsibility of teachers, parents and administrators in the schools to raise awareness about the issue. If this issue is stressed it may also help to decrease the amount of students who choose to bully others because they will become more aware of the consequences and damage this can cause to other students. Also, other students may suffer academically from bullying if they are afraid to come to school or cannot concentrate in class due to this. As a future teacher I am going to try to my best to ensure the safety of my students as well as make it clear that they can come to me with any problems or concerns they are having with their peers.
jlaboyne // April 20, 2009 at 12:10 am |
Having just done a project on bullying myself I have come to realize that bullying is a much bigger problem than is often let on. Before the 1980s when bullying started to get increasingly more violent bullying was just considered a thing kids do. It wasn’t really until the 1990s when there was a string of school shootings that outsiders realized what a big problem it really was and started doing research in order to address it. Its really disheartening to see how dangerous and violent some students can get. While I think the schools we will be working in should have a system in place to address this problem, I think it is also important that we as teachers keep an eye out for warning signs and address the problem as quickly and efficiently as possible, and its not something we should do alone. The more recent forms of cyber bullying and text bullying put a whole new twist on the problem as students are being bullied all day at school and then go home to be bullied some more which could be devastating and life- threatening. It somewhat of a touchy subject when it comes to how schools and administration can address this as it is something that occurs off of school grounds. Lastly, when it comes to the comment you made about some teachers who are indifferent to or accept bullying.. those kinds of people should obviously not be teachers. We become teachers because we care and we want to help and protect children, not to stand by and do nothing while they get bullied. Its not just a kid thing, its a serious problem.
lisapratt17 // September 26, 2009 at 2:36 pm |
I absolutely agree! It is an overwhelmingly difficult subject to tackle but teachers, parents, counselors and students must work together to combat it. You make a terrific point noting that a good amount of bullying occurs away from the school grounds, for example, on Facebook, where misinformation and bullying abounds. Parents can not turn their backs on this because they are techno-phobic..they must get involved.
lbeach // April 20, 2009 at 5:49 pm |
It is sad to say but the shootings at Columbine did serve one morbid but important purpose. It was an eye opener that everyone needed. The days of swirlys and taking lunch money have unfortunately disappeared and parents and teachers are FINALLY starting to see this. A school is supposed to be a safe haven for children but when they begin to fear school because of being bullied this haven is taken from them. It not only the parents responsibilty to raise their children “correctly” responsibilty also falls on teachers, administrators, and even other children. Schools must begin to inform and educate everyone on the importance and severity of this subject matter. The entire school must buy into this concept if it’s going to work. Steps have been made across the country to stem the epidemic of bullying but more can be done. With the internet now and cyber bullying a whole new world of bullying has been opened and we as educators and adults have to find a way to address this new problem. Bullying will never go away but with hard work and education we can all begin to face this problem head on.
mjg0413 // April 21, 2009 at 9:13 pm |
As the years go by, more and more schools are beginning to recognize the threat that bullying not only has on the safety and mental health of the students but also on their academic performance. If a child is being bullied at school, they are more unlikely to feel comfortable in the classroom. The victims of bullying are often too afraid to raise their hand in class because they fear the scrutiny of their tormentor. If a teacher does not have a bully-free classroom they will discover that their smartest students (as they are the typical victims of bullying) do not want to volunteer and take an active role in classroom discussions even if they have great input.
Cyberbullying, as it is mentioned above is the newest and often most unnoticed form of bullying. Many times the bully is anonymous and since this is taking place off school grounds and in the privacy of ones home, it is an almost impossible problem for schools to combat. Schools must make the students feel comfortable notifying either their teachers, guidance counselors, administrators, etc. of any bullying activity they see or are a victim to. It is not that the kids of today are too soft, the truth of the matter is bullying as reached a more malicious level than ever before.
meghanwoodstock // April 22, 2009 at 10:07 pm |
Bullying is definitely an important topic that should be addressed in all schools, the harms it can cause and ways it can be prevented. Unfortunately in todays world with our many different ways of communication bullying is not just occurring at school but also at home and mostly on computers through the internet.
I think it is very important that all schools have support systems for children who are victims to bullying. There have been to many unfortunate stories of children committing suicide because they were being bullied in school.
mm323 // April 24, 2009 at 3:38 am |
I would have to agree that bullying is a MAJOR issue that needs to be addressed. I work at a childcare center and part of our educational philosophy is faciliatting the children to verbally problem solve with their peers and use their words to express their feelings to their friends. Although, some people may think that 3, 4, and 5 year olds are “too young” to handle a concept like standing up for yourself and speaking up for what you feel and believe I get to witness these young children do it day in and day out. The hope for this is that they take it with them throughout their school years and understand the importance of respecting others and treating people the way you would wan tto be treating. This, in turn, could help prevent them from being bullies or being bullied in their future.
It is unbelievable to know that young people are ending their own lives due to the horrible affects of bullying. Even parents are getting involved with things such as cyber-bullying that has lead to a teenager killing herself. Parents need to help their children develop the skills to solve their own problems instead of fighting their fights for them.
og399 // April 25, 2009 at 2:21 pm |
Bullying is probably the biggest issue in schools today and as a result there is a nationwide campaign to stop it. There is a no tolerance for it, bullying, in many schools, which is demonstrated through anti-bullying assemblies. I remember hearing the phrase “sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you” when I was a kid, and I believed it! However, as an adult I look back on that time and realize that is not always true. Words do hurt and can leave a scar longer than any physical wound. As teachers we need to promote a classroom community of kindness and equality for all students. We must also be aware of the interpersonal relationships occurring in our classroom between our students. If any problems are detected, they need to be addressed, not ignored, and if necessary parents should be contacted. Though it may be impossible to end the act of bullying, we can teach our students through mini-lessons to be kind to others, stand-up for themselves, and never be afraid to ask for help, especially from a parent or a teacher.
artsy313 // April 26, 2009 at 7:13 pm |
I believe that it is the responsibility of all those working in a school (whether it is the principal, teachers, janitors, or helpful moms and dads), to be on the lookout for bullying. It is such a major issue in schools today, and some bullying situations have been so bad that they have even led to death. I also believe that the internet has become a big problem in this aspect because it makes it so much easier to bully others anonymously and without doing it in person. There have been so many sad stories about internet bullying occurances, and something really needs to be done. No child should have to suffer through being bullied, nor should have to worry about falling grades because of this. I agree that anti-bullying programs are extremely important in this day and age and schools should start seriously using them. Parents also need to be more aware of this and should monitor their young children’s use of the internet to avoid bullying if possible.
tagnes86 // April 26, 2009 at 11:28 pm |
I think bullying today has become an issue that is of great concern. Bullying has come too far, and un fortunately has a huge impact on a child’s life. I do agree with the statement that bullying occurs more often when there is a lack of adult supervision. And I also agree that there should be more anti-bullying seminars, and meetings to enforce the rules on the children.
missorangesweetness // April 27, 2009 at 12:08 am |
I must say that this is quite true bullying is and continues to be a major issue is schools, I for one was once a victim of bullying. Not only did it make me hate going to school but it also made me have low self- esteem as well. I think it is horrible what these young students go through these days, students bullies pick on students for everything from the type of name brands they wear to how well they do in school. My son and my nieces always come to me and complain about bullies and how they get picked on constantly. It makes me angry to see how these bullies get away with picking on other kids and they actually have been getting away with it for years something needs to be done. How many more kid’s are going to have to suffer from mental and psychological issues even as serious as students committing suicide for them to realize that something more needs to be enforced to handle such isssues?
jenjohnson1861 // April 27, 2009 at 3:06 pm |
This is a problem that needs to be addressed in all schools. The age old attitudes that it is just a part of growing up or boys will be boys are ridiculous. I think the problem is that schools do not treat bullying in the same way. Many schools have stared up chapters of “Rachael’s Promise” which promotes anti bullying; (Rachael was a student who killed in the Columbine shootings). Others schools have the same five “lunch ladies” watching the playground of 200 kids…are they really going to see and stop everything that is going on.
My niece was the victim of a bully in her class starting from the time she was in the 2nd grade, her mother only found out what was going on from another parent. When the child finally got up the courage to tell the teacher what was going on, she had to go the principal and tell what happened in front of her bully….of course she was terrified. This does not make any sense. The other problem is that kids who watch other kids get bullied and do not do anything to help, for fear that they will be next. Schools need to take an active role to combat this.
yanksplaya29 // April 28, 2009 at 2:49 am |
Bullying is such a serious topic. It is amazing the impact that bullying can have. Kids grades drop, self esteem levels drop and can even lead to suicide. Its sad because I see bullying even in the pre-k classroom that I work in. it is amazing that it can happen at such a young age. I think a big problem is that schools don’t know how to deal with bullying. I think standards need to be set so that teachers can see the signs of bullying occurring. I think that another huge issue is the bystander affect. People see it happen and either just watch out of fear of being bullied), teachers sometimes ignore it, and parents go “it’s kids being kids”. Something needs to be done especially with cyber bullying now becoming an issue.
amebec23 // April 28, 2009 at 6:29 pm |
Children are naive to social graces and must learn proper social skill in, and out of the classroom. In my classroom there will be zero tolerance for bullying or teasing. I believe that if there is not a mutual respect for everyone in my classroom, it cannot be an environment where students feel comfortable to learn in. I plan to spend time teaching my students how to use manner with their classmates, and how to find a common bond amongst all of them. I want them to think of their classroom as a unit. One that will not be tainted my petty immature name calling or physical violence of any kind. If my students cannot follow their rules they will have privileges taken away from then and loose a certain amount of respect they would normally have in the classroom. Kindness first is my philosophy and I hope to use myself as an example for my students to eliminate bullying of any kind in the classroom.
mot86 // April 29, 2009 at 12:20 am |
I can’t stand bullying. In my classroom and school if I see any form of bullying I address the issue RIGHT away. I agree that as teachers we should not ignore any type of bullying, even if it seems extremely minor to you. If we squash it while its small and early then maybe things will change for the better. We can always hope!
mtg103 // April 29, 2009 at 3:01 am |
I believe that bullying is a growing problem in the classroom. I think we as future teachers have to be on the look out for bullies in our classroom. If we see something going on we have to step in and not let these students get away with it. No student should not want to come to school because they fear of getting bullied. School should be a safe and fun environment for all kids.
ecyoung // April 29, 2009 at 3:38 pm |
Bullying is a very serious and scary issue in schools today. It goes beyond the classic bully on the playground taking your lunch money. With all of the fatal tragedies in schools today, bullying is not an issue that can be ignored. With the internet bullying has taken on so many forms and as a teacher it is important that you are aware if a student is being bullied and the proper action to take to stop it.
thoneboylan // April 30, 2009 at 6:31 pm |
This is such a huge and important topic. It really is up to the entire school staff — custodians, bus drivers, lunch/recess staff as well as the principals and teachers — to intervene when bullying is witnessed or suspected. The bus ride to and from school may be the easiest time for the bully to bully and is likely the reason why so many students are driven to and picked up from school. I agree that much can be done to prevent and discourage bullying by the group that is not directly involved: the 20% – 30% of students who stand by and watch or ignore. Students should learn that they have an obligation to stop the injustices and cruelty of bullying and should be rewarded when they do. And it’s a great first step in learning to right the wrong of other injustices that they will encounter beyond the schoolyard.
tvic4 // May 2, 2009 at 3:04 am |
I agree that school has got to be a safe haven for children if we expect them to come and feel safe to learn and grow. But since bullying can occur in and out of school and takes place in many different forms, everyone including teachers, parents, friends, and school staff must be aware of its presence and deal with it effectively. I also agree that it usually takes place when there is little or no adult supervision. So, having supervision at the playground and on the bus can prevent some of it from happening. As a prospective teacher, I strongly believe that it is the job of every teacher to educate students in their class about bullying in order to prevent it from happening and/or assist children in how to deal with it when it happens to them or when they see it happen to someone else. Students must know that there is a zero-tolerance for bullying and there will be serious consequences. More importantly, bullying must be integrated into the curriculum within individual classrooms and school wide. Students must have a clear understanding about what bullying is, how to react to it, and how to prevent it. This is all possible with the involvement and help of adults and effective programs that teach.
darwinsbeard // May 4, 2009 at 12:09 am |
Bullying is an unfortunate occurrence in schools. Students are expected to come to school ready to learn and perform on exams. This can be greatly hindered if the students are victims of bullying. As the article said you can’t be expected to learn when you are constantly being harassed. Cyber bullying adds a whole new level of bullying that is often very difficult to find out about. The teacher, now more than ever, must be ever vigilant of bullying of any type.
grlsofn1 // May 4, 2009 at 1:22 am |
Bullying is such a heartbreaking thing that occurs in the school systems. I hate hearing about a child that is made fun of. However, today, it has become so much more frequent, and much easier for children to bully each other. The teacher has so much pressure now more then ever. Their are so many different ways children act out and teachers need to be careful in how they approach situations. The teacher needs to have a good support system and know proper ways to diffuse certain situations. It is very difficult, especially when parents get involved.
It is very sad that this is an issue that occurs. However, I feel that if the teacher establishes a sense of being a family in the classroom it might occur less. I feel that if children can see each other as being the same then it wouldn’t be as bad.
keisha1 // May 4, 2009 at 4:09 am |
As many comments have mentioned, bullying is a serious issue schools today. I too was once a victim of bullying. I hated that student so much, I constantly wished bad for her. The age old saying is that kids will be kids especially boys. Boys are not the only ones being the bullies, girls as well are bullies. I have heard where girls are being bullied by other kids over the internet (Cyber-bullying)!! What are we atempting to do about this problem?? There is so much teachers can do. We need to take a stand and try to make some changes towards why do some kids feel the need to bully others what is happening in the homes etc.
vdreye1 // May 4, 2009 at 2:48 pm |
I remember being bullied when I was in elementary school and now years later it has gotten totally out of control. With the popularity of the internet, cell phones, and text messages, bulling doesn’t only happen in schools but also throughout the child’s day. It is important for parents and teachers to really get involved and explain to the children how hurtful bulling really can be.
hsiax // May 4, 2009 at 5:24 pm |
Bullying is a very serious problem that exists at schools and sometimes at home. Today bullying not only takes place physically at school but also through texting, the internet, and cell phones. I think it is an issue that needs to be addressed at schools through assemblies or even teachers can bring in videos for children to watch that inform children about bullying, what it is, and what to do if it happens to them. It is a very scary thing for anyone to go through and i would not want a child of mine to have to experience it.
mitchsteinberg // May 4, 2009 at 8:35 pm |
This is a topic that is hot in all schools all over. I feel the only way to stop this is to start in the home. The article says that the home may not have much to do with bullying in school. I completely disagree with that, If a second grade boy says a racial slur to another student, where did that come from? It had to be from home, or something from the home life. These are things that are not born into the brain of a human, these are learned behaviors. If from the time a child is a toddler, the parents reinforce acceptance and kindness, i truly believe it will have an effect on future bullying.
tberman1 // September 10, 2009 at 5:03 pm |
I agree that bullying is something that needs to be dealt with. How is difficult to say but I also agree with the above comment, in terms of holding parents and homelife somewhat responsible for a child who is a bully towards others. Children do tend to learn other things from fellow classmates but I have a hard time believing that a child can learn how to make someone feel uncomfortable or unhappy about themselves unless they have heard or seen it first hard from someone around them. They then bring that to school and we say that it’s up to the teachers to deal with it. Yes, teachers should keep a close watch out for it and should take control of a situations if one is at hand but I think it would be smart to go over maybe what bullying is and how it affects others negatively in hopes of avoiding bullies in the future.
shannon1031 // September 18, 2009 at 5:32 pm |
As much as it is difficult to address bullying and occassionally uncomfortable for the students involved, it is something that needs to be done. We as teachers or teachers in training should be able to see the signs of bullying and put a stop to it right away. Hopefully, in the future this will help the situation in the schools today.
paulina1103 // September 18, 2009 at 11:26 pm |
Bullying is and it has been a problem for quite some time but due to the new level of technology such as the internet bullying raises many concerns. A lot of us may not even know that a child is being bullied because it is well hidden. People will raise the question how can a child be bullied through the internet? The answer to that is chats such as aim, facebook (if the child is old enough), myspace and any other type of website that kids these days are on, once they are on it is easy for them to bully other kids. How can we put a stop to cyber bulling? One way is to have administrator monitor the use and where/what sides the children are allowed to visit when they are in school. Also, at home the same job applies to the parents of all children, know when and where you child is on the internet. I feel that bulling has been around for a while and it is not looking like it is going to go away in a second but the more we keep our eyes open the less incidents we shall have.
rlasher2 // September 23, 2009 at 11:27 pm |
Why cant we all just get along? Kids come from different backgrounds, social circles, and economic states that often aide in the bullying process. I think we need to make parents aware of these issue so that they maybe addressed at home, before entering schools. Although teachers are the authority in school, parents need to take that responsibility at home. Send letters home, put it on the e-boards and blackboards on the internet. It is clear that students are effected often enough that this NEEDS to be addressed in a greater way.
teacherjustin // September 25, 2009 at 12:12 am |
Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones, but Words Will Hurt Me
By Eugenia Splinis & Maria Lynch
This article provided a good insight into the topic of bullying. There are many student who are afraid of telling either there parents or teachers that they are being bullied. Even though the article mentioned that “a good intervention plan that involves all students parents and school staff is required to ensure that all students can learn in a safe environment”, this may not necessarily work. An intervention plan is a good start, but I believe the weight of preventing bulling relies on the teachers, parents, and guidance counselors. The article has mentioned everything from doing poor academic work to becoming depressed and committing suicide due to bulling. But what they fail to mention is what to do with the bully once they are caught. The article reported that13% bulled others, 11% were targets of bullies, and 6% were bullied and then went on to become bullies. I think in order to stop bulling the school must find out why a student is bulling. Where does he/she get it from. Bulling is a learned trait! Did the bully learn this trait at home, because he is bullied by a family member, or did he learn it at school. Determining the reason why student’s engage in bullying will provide an opportunity to work in a positive direction in preventing bulling for the future. For every bully there is a different story of how they became one, therefore the intervention will be different. However, most importantly is determining the source or the cause of this child becoming a bully and stopping it there. Teachers should always be on a look out for their students and if they believe that bulling is happening to a specific child, a phone call should go home that night. There must be constant communication between teacher and parents, parents and guidance counselor, teachers and guidance counselor, teacher and student, student and guidance counselor, and most important student and parents. The topic of bulling should be treated just as strongly as any other serious event, if not, then it just might result in a tragic suicidal death.
jesscannella // September 25, 2009 at 1:48 pm |
Obviously as everyone has commented before me, bully is a real problem in American. It affects everyone involved, and I can say with upmost confidence that almost every student has seen at least one case of it in their tenure at a school. (They might have been the bully, the bullied or just a witness, but it is a real prevelant problem.)
With the growth of technology, it has reached an unprecedented level where parents, teachers, administrators need to step in.
tammytav3687 // September 29, 2009 at 8:07 pm |
In my own expierence of elementary, middle and highschool bullying was one of the most common things that went on among students. At first in grades 1-5 its commonly little boys teasing little girls. But eventually throughout middle school mostly and highschool, bullying does escalate to a much harsher degree. Children who are bullys may do it for attention or they feel like they have to prove something to their fellow peers. Children today are not only bullying others physically and verbally but they are using source of technology. Whether it be text messaging, Instant messanger, web pages such as facebook or myspace or just through traditional emails. There have already been several cases where a child was bullied through these online sites leading to a suicide. The question is how involved can the school get if the bullying occurs outside the school. Law enforcement officials are seeing a whole new wave a crime through the growth of electronical devices. And the problem is that it is not always easy to prove since the bullier is unknown most of the time. This problem is extremely hard to prevent and I believe all we can do is educate our children and make them aware of how serious bullying can be. We must teach them as parents, friends and educators.
debbieali // October 31, 2009 at 3:26 pm |
I too believe that bullying is a major concern in schools, more today than years ago. This is due in part because of access to the internet. Although school districts adopted a no bullying policy, it still goes on. Kids are afraid to tell anyone what’s going on. It happens on and off of school grounds. I’m sure that most of us have had a bullying experience in our earlier school days. Did we stand up to the bully or just back off? It’s up to the schools, parents, administrators, and the whole community to address this problem and come up with a solution. What was a nuisance years ago is now a major problem, sometimes with deadly consequences.
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