Bullying What you can do about it

What is bullying? Bullying involves intentional efforts to harm others. Bullying can be physical or verbal, direct or indirect in nature. Bullying involves repeated negative actions by one or more people. Bullying involves an imbalance of physical or psychological power.

Bullying Can Take Many Forms Physical Verbal Emotional Cyber bullying Hitting Punching Pushing Hair pulling Biting Hiding others belongings Ganging up on others Starring (mad dogging) Threatening Name calling Teasing Insulting Spreading rumors Rejecting Extorting Defaming Humiliating Blackmailing Manipulating friends Isolating/excluding others from a group Ostracizing Peer pressure Harassment via: Email Texting Instant messages Posting defamatory pictures or messages on: Websites Blogs Chat rooms MySpace Facebook Use of someone else’s user name to: Spread rumors or lies about someone

Bullying Hurts! Bullying can cause victims to experience: Fear Depression Loneliness Anxiety Low self-esteem Physical illness Suicidal thoughts* *Some students have been so tormented by their bullies that they have actually taken their own life as a means to end their pain and suffering. This should never be an option. Talk to an adult that you trust and ask for help.

Remember the Golden Rule… Treat others the way you want to be treated

Who is a bully? A person who habitually intimidates or mistreats people based on: Size Ability Appearance Preferences

Reasons why people bully They want to gain status in front of friends and peers. Someone else could be bullying them. They are copying what they have seen others doing. It makes them feel powerful and in control. Reasons why people bully They might feel like they are not receiving enough attention from their parents or teachers. They feel that aggressive behavior is acceptable. They act out problems from home. They are bored and have nothing better to do. They don’t know how to control their anger or solve their problems. They don’t have positive role models to teach them right from wrong.

Victims of Bullying are more likely to… Miss school because they are afraid. Be afraid to ride the bus Can be afraid to use the school bathroom Lack focus in school. Have poor attendance due to illness. Be less popular than others. Blame themselves for their problem.

Have you ever been a bully, a bystander or a victim?

Are You A Bystander? Bullying situations usually involve more than the bully and the victim. They also involve bystanders—those who watch bullying happen or hear about it. Bystanders have a tendency to respond to a bullying situations in the following way(s): They encourage or participate in the bullying Try to help the victim Ignore the situation

Why do bystanders let it happen? They think, “It’s none of my business.” They fear getting hurt or becoming another victim. They feel powerless to stop the bully. They don’t like the victim or believe the victim “deserves” it. They don’t want to draw attention to themselves. They fear retribution. They think that telling adults won’t help or it may make things worse. They don’t know what to do.

How do I deal with a bully? Don’t show them that you are upset Pretend you didn’t hear them Ignore them Talk to an adult! Respond to the Bully with a firm assertive voice Don’t get angry Walk away Tell someone Remove yourself from the situation

What is your school doing to stop bullying There will be a box in the library where you can report any bully behavior. Bullying incidents should also be reported to your advisory teacher. School staff will be required to report bully behavior immediately. Your Safety is our top Priority!

Consequences of Bullying Conference with Mr. Pratt and Ms. Sánchez Parent contact Students may be placed on: Exclusion List FED or 1-3 Day Suspension Behavior Contract Detention Community Service School Police will be called

“Never be bullied into silence “Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life, but define yourself.” -Harvey S. Firestone

References www.nonamecallingweek.org www2.ed.gov www.bullyfreeworld.com www.fullsteemahead.org www.cescal.org www.stopbullyingnow.com