Bullying:It can be stopped

Adopted from a presentation by Barbara H. CarltonDrug & Violence Prevention Specialist Western M.S.

and Turrentine M.S.

Bullying:when one or more people repeatedly harm, harass, intimidate, or exclude others.

Bullying is unfair and one sided.

Olweus

*Imbalance of power*Perpetrator blames the target *Target blames self for abuse

Domestic/Spouse Abuse

BullyingSexual

Harassment/Rape

Circle of bullying

H. Person who is

being bullied

A. Student who bullies

B. Followers/henchmen

C. Supporters

D. Passive Supporters

E. Disengaged Onlookers

F. Possible Defenders

G. Defenders

School Violence Prevention Act SL09-212 State Board of Education policy HRS-A-007

By December 31, 2009

LEAs shall adopt a policy prohibiting bullying or harassing behavior

Defined as: Gestures, written, electronic, or verbal

communications Physical act or threatening communication

-places a student or school employee in actual or REASONABLE fear of harm to self or property or

- creates or is certain to create a hostile environment

- interferes with student’s education performance, opportunity, or benefit.

Legal

School Violence Prevention ActSL09-212

Bullying or harassing behavior includes:Acts reasonably perceived as being motivated by

Race Color Religion National origin Gender Socioeconomic Status Academic Status Gender Identity Physical Appearance Sexual Orientation Mental, Physical, Developmental or Sensory

Disability or Association with a Person who has or is

PERCEIVED to have one or any of the above characteristics

School Violence Prevention Policy Guidelines

STATEMENT PROHIBITING BULLYING OR HARASSING BEHAVIOR

EXPECTED BEHAVIOR FOR EACH STUDENT AND SCHOOL EMPLOYEE

CONSEQUENCES AND APPROPRIATE REMEDIAL ACTION

ANONYMOUS REPORTING PROCEDURES

PROCEDURE FOR PROMPT INVESTIGATION OF REPORTS

STATEMENTS THAT PROHIBITS REPRISAL OR RETALIATION FOR REPORTING

STATEMENT ON HOW POLICY IS TO BE DISSEMINATED & PUBLICIZED INCLUDING APPLICATION AT SCHOOL-SPONSORED EVENTS

School Violence Prevention Policy Guidelines

By March 1, 2010 Provide training on the local policy to

school employees and volunteers who have contact with students

Develop and implement strategies for promoting school environments that are free from bullying or harassing behavior

Rule 10: Bullying and Harassment

Students shall not engage in bullying or harassment of other students.

Bullying repeated intimidation of others - real or threatened

physical, verbal, written, electronically transmitted or emotional abuse

attacks on the property of anotherimplied or stated threatsexclusion from peer groups.

Harassmentactions that interfere with a student’s ability to participate/ benefit from

an educational program or activity

Retaliation is prohibited. ABSS Code of Conduct 2012-13

60% of people who were considered

bullies in grade 6-9 are convicted

of at least one crime by the

time they turn 24.

“A human being who lives day-to-day having to continuously ‘energize his shields’ for protection, has little remaining energy to direct toward positive endeavors, such as schoolwork, meaningful classroom participation or healthy peer-adult interaction.” -Rico Racosky

Myths and Misconceptions about Bullying

Myth: The size of a class or school is significant in predicting the frequency of bullying.

Reality: Bullies appear in classrooms and schools of all sizes.

The less monitoring by an adult, the higher the rate of bullying.

Myth: Aggressive behavior results from school-related failures and frustrations.

Reality: Academic failures usually follow aggressive behavior, not the other way around.

Myth: Bullying is more likely to occur to and from school than at school.

Reality: A major predictor of bullying is unsupervised, unmonitored time.

Myth: Children who are different are significantly more likely to be a bully’s prey.

Reality: The attraction for a bully is the lack of power; a victim cannot or will not defend

self, or is not defended by peers.

Myth: Students learn to be bullies at home, nothing can be done to counteract the influence of home.

Reality: Even though bullying behaviors may be learned at home, children are adaptive.

They can and will learn pro-social skills if given the opportunity.

What can we do?

A bystander is anyone who is aware that bullying is happening.

You are either part of the problem or part of the solution.

0

20

40

60

80

100

83

2 2 2 3

Don’tSupport the One Bullyin

g Others

Choose not to repeat gossip

Support the one being bullied

in private

Tell an adult

Talk to the

person bullying others

privately

Support the one being bullied in front of the one

doing the

bullying

Confront the one

who is bullyin

g others

Range of Bystander Actions

Coach Bystanders with these steps:1. Encourage students to help the bullied child by walking with

them to class.2. Invite the bullied student to get involved with other students.3. Model confidence and talk about what it looks and feels like.

Become friends

with the one

being bullied

Low Risk/Low Courage High Risk/High

Courage

Empathy(skill not a feeling)

v.

Sympathy(feeling of pity)

Help students increase others’ importance/value. Provide opportunities to discover similar

experiences and ways they are alike.

PRIDE 2013

Classroom

Gym

Cafeteria

School e

ventsHalls

Playground/O

utside

Bathro

om

Parking Lot

School B

us0

20

40

60

80

10088.6

83.6 82.8 81.6 78.6 76.2 74.3 71.7 70.5

Where do students feel safest?

Make that Connection

Students who feel connected are less likely to…use alcohol and illegal drugs.engage in violent or deviant behavior.get pregnant.experience emotional distress.

Coach Children Separately to Build New Behavior Patterns

Byst

ande

r• Either part of

the problem or part of the solution

• Moving from Disengaged Onlooker to Possible Defender

• Inform & Involve parents

Pers

on being

bulli

ed

• Affirm feelings• Ask questions

and assess safety issues

• Generate solutions and create a plan with the student

• Assess what has and has not worked

• Inform & Involve parents

• Follow-up Bully

• Identify the problem

• Ask questions and gather information

• Inform & Involve parents

• Apply consequences

• Generate solutions and create a plan with the student

• Follow-up

Final Notes about Bullying

• Handled differently from typical disciplinary matters

• Not normal peer conflict

• Don’t bring all parties together at one time

• Power differential• Difficult to seek

help from adults• Bullied child might

even deny any abuse has taken place