Prevention and Intervention A School’s Responsibility Prevention and Intervention of Bullying Jeanne Buschine, Coordinator of Counseling Services for Joint School District No. 2 (Meridian)

Definition of Bullying A Bully: Targets an individual repeatedly over time. Uses physical or psychological aggression to dominate the victim. Creates and enforces an imbalance of power between bully and victim. Hoover & Oliver, 1996

Peer Conflict---Bullying---Harassment How do we distinguish between the three? One time or isolated event Balance of power between students Not a group picking on one student Student are willing to work out conflict with assistance OR leave each other alone…

Peer Conflict---Bullying---Harassment How do we distinguish between the three? One time or isolated event Balance of power between students Not a group picking on one student Student are willing to work out conflict with assistance OR leave each other alone… Bullying Carried out REPEATEDLY OVER TIME IMBALANCE OF POWER INTENTIONAL, PLANNED HARM DOING Often unprovoked

Peer Conflict---Bullying---Harassment How do we distinguish between the three? One time or isolated event Balance of power between students Not a group picking on one student Student are willing to work out conflict with assistance OR leave each other alone… Bullying Carried out REPEATEDLY OVER TIME IMBALANCE OF POWER INTENTIONAL, PLANNED HARM DOING Often unprovoked Harassment Aggressive behavior focused on a student’s race, national origin, religion, color, disability or sex. Behavior is severe, persistent or pervasive enough to interfere with a student’s ability to participate in or benefit from school.

3 forms Direct Verbal Indirect (hitting, pinching, kicking, punching,etc) Verbal (Verbal abuse, slander, threats, etc.) Indirect (gossip, rumors, leaving out, ignoring, etc.)

Myths About Bullying Behavior It is a normal part of childhood. Children who bully suffer from low self-esteem. Victims bring on the bullying. Victims ought to figure out how to stand up for themselves.

Statistics Bullying is not a new phenomenon. 160,000 students miss school every day due to fear of attack or intimidation. (Fried & Fried, 1996) 14 percent of 8th-12th graders and 22 % of 4-8 graders reported that “bullying diminished their ability to learn in school” 10 % of students who drop out of school do so because of repeated bullying. (Weinhold, 1998)

Statistics Bullies identified by age eight are 6 times more likely to be convicted of a crime by age 24. Roughly two-thirds of school shooters had “felt persecuted, bullied, threatened, attacked, or injured by others…a number of the teenagers had suffered sustained, severe bullying and harassment”. (Bowman, 2001)

Bullying and school violence: the tip of the iceberg Barry K. Weinhold “By definition, bullying is behavior that is designed to gain power over or to dominate another person. It happens on a regular basis through power plays, intimidation and threats. Bullying is actually the most common form of violence in our society.”

Statistics 30% of American children are regularly involved in bullying, either as bullies, victims, or both Approximately 15 percent of students are “severely traumatized or distressed” 8 percent reported being victimized at school at least once a week --2001 Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory

Consequences of Bullying… Lower achievement Lower attendance Increased incidence of violence and juvenile crime Bullies may become violent adults Victims may suffer from anxiety, low self-esteem and depression Witnesses of bullying at school may suffer from a less secure learning environment and the fear that they may be the target of the bully 2001-NorthwestRegional Educational Laboratory

Gender Differences Both boys and girls bully, their tactics are usually different. Girls use social alienation or humiliation to bully. This type of bullying is often more subtle and harder to detect than bullying by boys. Girls are more likely to bully other girls and bully in a group. Boys tend to use physical aggression to bully. Boys bully both boys and girls.

Remember: Conflict between two students having somewhat equal physical and psychological powers or friendly, playful teasing is not bullying or peer harassment.

Profile of a Bully Not an outcast Often an attention seeker Usually more popular than victim Less likely to empathize with the victim or understand someone else’s point of view Brags about their actual or imagined superiority Chooses others who are smaller or weaker Often comes from family with harsh discipline May have parents who verbally abuse each other Sadistic—enjoys seeing others suffer “Induces” some of the followers to do the “dirty work” Frequently fights to assert dominance

Profile of a Victim Difficulty defending him/herself Somewhat helpless Loner, desperate to fit in Stands out—physical characteristics Traditionally passive and emotionally vulnerable Can be “provocative”--poor social skills that agitate/aggravate others Makes excuses to stay near adults during breaks or recesses Often self blaming Unappealing thus doesn’t have support from teachers or classmates Makes excuses to stay home or go to nurses office Experiences personnel belonging being stolen or damaged

Bystander Responsibilities Stand Up/Get Help Report the Incident Show Empathy Be Assertive Be a Part of the Solution NOT a Part of the Problem

Bystander Power We must teach students compassion, empathy, respect and responsibility. By standing up to the bully, peers can then become a powerful force in school and shift the imbalance of power to the silent majority.

A Simple Solution… Develop Friendships & Peer Connections Victims need friends or individuals willing to be “friendly” Victims need a peer support group Students who have friends/peer group are less likely to be bullied.

Solutions and advice for parents and educators Initiate conversations with students about bullying. --1996 Fried Be prepared to intervene. –1998 USDOE Don’t expect students to solve things themselves. –1998 USDOE Encourage students to report incidents of bullying. –1996 Fried & Fried Express strong disapproval of bullying when it occurs or comes up in conversation. –1996 Kreidler

Solutions… Work with students on developing assertiveness and conflict resolution skills. –1998 USDOE Focus on developing empathy and respect for others. –1996 Kreidler Avoid physical forms of discipline, such as spanking. --1996 Fried & Fried Keep a log of bullying incidents. –1996 Kreidler Deal with bullying incidents consistently, in a manner appropriate to the situation. –1996 Kreidler

REMEMBER… The single most effective deterrent to bullying is adult authority. Children cannot handle true bullying situations, they do need help! Adults in charge of a school need to learn to recognize bullying behavior and stop it.

Potential Pitfalls Schools that have struggled to implement anti-bullying programs frequently cite time, lack of support, and inadequate training as the main obstacles to building an effective program.

To Increase Chances of Success… Avoid creating a great deal of extra paperwork for school staff. Secure administrative support at both the school and district levels. Be careful that the bullying program does not result in students being stigmatized. The most effective anti-bullying programs are ongoing and integrated with Curriculum Discipline Policies Violence Prevention Efforts Don’t expect change overnight.

Remember… Effectively addressing bullying behavior takes time, and will require a sustained and conscious effort to change the overall culture of the school.

Conclusion There is nothing “normal” about ongoing incidents of harassment, violence, and intimidation. Bullying not only leads to depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem in students who are targeted, but also causes other students to feel unsafe at school and significantly interferes with learning.

Take the First Step… Taking bullying behavior seriously is an important step in working towards safe and effective schools. Through training, collaboration, and carefully designed programs, educators, policymakers, parents, and students can work together to ensure that schools are a place where students feel welcome, included, and ready to learn.