ANTI - BULLYING PROGRAMS IN SCHOOLS Amanda Pelkey

FACT: EACH DAY AN ESTIMATED 160,000 CHILDREN REFUSE TO GO TO SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY DREAD THE PHYSICAL AND VERBAL AGGRESSION OF THEIR PEERS

W HAT IS B ULLYING ? Has two key components: Repeated harmful acts Imbalance of power Involves repeated physical, verbal or psychological attacks or intimidation directed against a victim who cannot properly defend him- or herself because of size or strength, or because the victim is outnumbered or less psychologically resilient. Usually occurs in places where it is difficult to escape Schools Workplace Prisons Family

B ULLYING IN S CHOOLS Bullying is widespread and the most underreported safety problem on American school campuses. Bullying occurs at all grade levels Most often occurs in 6 th – 8 th grades Little variation among rural, urban, suburban areas Nearly 1 in 3 students is involved in bullying It’s estimated that nearly 30% — or 5.7 million children — are involved in bullying, as victims, perpetrators, or both. Studies have found that 15 to 25% of students in the U.S. are bullied, and 15 to 20% bully others.

While school violence as a whole has declined by 4% over the past few years, bullying behaviors have increased by 5% Kids who are obese, gay, or have disabilities are 63% more likely to be bullied than other children. 83% of adults who stuttered when they were kids reported they had been teased or bullied for it Boys are more likely than girls to bully others. Boys – physical Girls – verbal & emotional

T YPES OF B ULLYING IN S CHOOLS Verbal Derogatory statements Bad names Social exclusion/ isolation Physical Hitting Kicking Shoving Spitting Spreading false rumors and lies Demands for money Destruction of property/ another’s work Hazing Racial Sexual harassment Cyber

W HY S TUDENTS B ULLY Low self-esteem Have strong needs for power and dominance Are often “rewarded” for their behavior Material or psychological Major targets: Gays/lesbians Students of a different race Students of a different social class Those who are disabled or obese “Nerds” Those who are less athletic, attractive, or confident

I MPACT OF B ULLYING IN S CHOOLS Depression Low self-esteem Health problems Poor grades Suicidal thoughts Get into frequent fights Steal and vandalize property Get into alcohol/drugs Poor grades Carry a weapon Students Who Are Bullied: Students Who Bully Others:

A NTI -B ULLYING P ROGRAMS Olweus Bullying Prevention Program A prevention program No Bully An intervention program

O LWEUS B ULLYING P REVENTION P ROGRAM Founded by Dan Olweus Research professor of psychology Research Center for Health Promotion – University of Bergen in Norway Believes bullying can be reduced by 30 to 70% A whole-school program aimed at preventing or reducing bullying throughout a school setting

School-based program designed to prevent or reduce bullying in elementary, middle, and junior high schools Restructures the existing school environment to reduce opportunities and rewards for bullying Involves teachers, students, and parents Program goals: Reducing existing bullying problems among students Preventing new bullying problems Achieving better peer relations at schools

P OSITIVE O UTCOMES 3 elementary schools in Chula Vista, CA 14% decrease in reports of being bullied after 1 year and a 21% decrease after 2 years 8% decrease in reports of bullying others after 1 year and 17% after 2 years Halley Elementary School, Fairfax Station, VA Students reported being bullied: Before program implementation: 42% 1 year after implementation: 34%

C RITICISM Anti-bullying prevention programs are ineffective: Bullies weigh the costs/benefits of behavior and program before they act. These programs are based on the assumption that behavior is caused by environmental factors that can be manipulated the role of biology that causes some students to bully is ignored.

N O B ULLY A San Francisco – based non-profit bullying intervention program Implements a Solution Team an adult facilitator pulls together a group of students to solve the bullying of one of their peers an opportunity for the students that participate in the team to learn and apply empathy on behalf of their peers helps schools to develop a culture where students are willing to break the code of silence and speak out against bullying.

N O B ULLY OFFERS … Workshops and Training For teachers, counselors, faculty & staff, and parents Interactive theater show for students Classroom role-plays Anti-Bullying Program Helps school administrators put together an anti- bullying policy and a long-term plan to unite all parts of the school community Social and Emotional Learning Teaches character values & life skills needed for a student to succeed in the real world

W ORKS C ITED Carlisle, Nicholas. No Bully November Foundation, Halezden. Olweus Bullying Prevention Program November Knochowsk, Natalia. SCHOOLS: Officials endorse Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights. Newspaper Article. New Jersey: The Cranberry Press, Regoli, Robert M., John D. Hewitt and Matt DeLisi. Delinquency in Society. Boston: Jones ans Bartlett Publishers, Sampson, Rana. U.S. Department of Justice: Bullying in Schools. 22 March November Sognonvi, Sensei Serge and Carmen Sognonvi. They Five Essential Bullying Statistics Every Parent Should Know. 9 June November 2010.