Violence and Bullying in Schools: How will it impact our school and what can we do? S. Emily Curtis Salem College

Issues to Discuss and Consider 1. What is bullying? 2. What is school violence? 3. How are bullying and school violence connected? 4. A research and data-based plan for our school. 5. Benefits of our anti-bullying plan for our students, our school, and our community.

What is Bullying? According to Dahir & Stone (2012), bullying is made up of three elements: 1. intended harm 2. repetition of behaviors 3. difference of power between the bully and the victim (physical, social, age, size, etc.) (Dahir & Stone, 2012)

What is Bullying? “Bullying at school in the traditional manner is done by someone who harms individuals or groups intentionally and repeatedly by using physical strength, age, and power” (Dahir & Stone, 2012). Bullying is currently the most common form of school violence (Dahir & Stone, 2012). Bullying differs from boys to girls o boys = more direct bullying (physical) o girls = more indirect bullying (social, passive-aggressive) (Dahir & Stone, 2012)

What is Cyberbullying? Cyberbullying is “electronic aggression involving the use of cell phones, computers, or other electronic devices to humiliate or harass someone, and possibly even threaten physical violence” (Dahir & Stone, 2012). Cyberbullying is the newest form of bullying and can be very difficult for schools to overcome because it rarely takes place at school

What is School Violence? School violence is defined in Dahir and Stone (2012) as “assaults with or without weapons, physical fights, threats or destructive acts other than physical fights, robbery, harassment, dating violence, molestation, rape, bullying, hostile or threatening remarks between groups of students, and gang violence” (Dahir & Stone, 2012).

The connection between bullying and school violence. Bullying and school violence are connected. Bullying can lead victimized students to act out with extreme behaviors and actions of violence. Bullying is school violence. Bullying can lead to self-harm and suicide among victimized students.

Solutions and Strategies for Working Against School Violence and Bullying Rachel’s Challenge Lunch Bunch Groups Mental Health Lessons in Freshman P.E. Anti-Bullying Lessons in Sophomore English Gang Identification Training for Faculty and Staff Anonymous Reporting Box on Campus and Hotline

Plan for Improvement 1.Implement Rachel’s Challenge and funded through Race to the Top money 2.Establish plan for 3rd period teachers to have students sign up for Lunch Bunch 3.Work with 9th grade health classes and the local Health Department to bring in mental health care specialists 4.Develop a curriculum, with 10th grade English teachers, to discuss bullying and learn more about how to recognize and stop it 5.Set up an anonymous reporting box in the counseling office with slips of paper. 6.Create posters to place around campus with signs of bullying, school violence, and suicide; include the phone number for the hotline 7.Provide information on the counseling, school, and county websites about recognizing signs of bullying and school violence 8.Discuss bullying and prevention at 8th grade parent night

Benefits to students, school, and community Create a safer learning environment for all students Students learn tolerance, kindness, understanding, and generosity Improved communication with parents Decreased dropout rate, increased attendance, improved grades and test scores Students are better citizens upon graduation

Conclusion Bullying is school violence It is our job to work against bullying and school violence It is necessary to have a plan to decrease bullying and school violence and to improve academic achievement We must all work together to reach our goal

References Dahir, C.A. and Stone, C.B. (2012). The Transformed School Counselor (2nd ed). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole: Cenage Learning. Rachel’s challenge: Start a chain reaction. (n.d.). Retrieved from