Creating a Bully-Free School

“I believe schools…have a positive duty to be vigilant…to guard against bullying and to deal with it and stamp it out if it occurs. The consequences of a failure to do that can be very profound.” 1997 Coroner’s Report (New Zealand)

Here are the statistics… A recent Secret Service study found that two- thirds of school shooters said they felt “persecuted, bullied, threatened, attacked or injured.” National Threat Assessment Center and Secret Service A 2002 NEA study found that more than 160,000 kids do not go to school each day because they fear being bullied. National Education Association & National Association of School Psychologists A 1999 study conducted by CNN showed that 4 out of 5 middle school students had engaged in bullying behavior in the last 30 days.

What is bullying? An intentional written, verbal, or physical act against a student which is motivated by the bully’s perception of that student’s: Race, color, or creed Gender Sexual orientation Other distinguishing characteristics Paraphrased from Senate Bill 5528 adopted

What is bullying? When the intentional act: Physically harms a student or damages his/her property; Substantially interferes with the student’s education; Is so severe, persistent or pervasive that it creates an intimidating or threatening educational environment; Or substantially disrupts the orderly operation of a school. Paraphrased from Senate Bill 5528 adopted

How does bullying happen? When one person intimidates or subjects another person to hostility or ill treatment. When one person harasses, picks on or pesters another. When actions cause another person to feel afraid, humiliated, embarrassed, threatened or shamed. When repeated incidents create and enforce an imbalance of power.

What bullying is NOT… A normal childhood activity A rite of passage The target’s fault

Bullying happens in 4 ways: Verbal (Direct or Indirect) Direct: Teasing, jokes, threats, group threats Indirect: Ignoring/isolation, gossip Physical Blocking someone’s path, physical restraint, pushing/kicking, hazing, drive-bys, murder Sexual Teasing, touching, slapping, pictures, s, graffiti, sexual assault, rape Property Hiding belongings, theft, arson, extortion, vandalism, destruction

For the target, bullying is a “loss” experience. loss of a feeling of safety loss of confidence and self-esteem loss of a sense of belonging loss of control over your life Stan Davis: Stop Bullying Now

Effects of Bullying on the Target Physical Effects Stomach aches Weight loss/gain Headaches Drop in grades Drug or alcohol use Sexual activity Assaultive Suicidal Homicidal Emotional Effects Alienation Low self esteem Insecurity FEAR Depression Withdrawn Aggression Anger Vengeful

Warning Signs THAT A STUDENT IS BEING BULLIED Frequently teased, taunted belittled, ridiculed, intimidated threatened, dominated or subdued Has a derogatory nickname Regularly has bruises or injuries that can’t be explained Has belongings taken or damaged Few or no close friends at school

Warning Signs (CONT.) Frequently socially isolated Chosen last for teams or other group activities Less assertive or lacks the skills to respond to others’ teasing or harassment Appears weak or easily dominated Tries to stay close to a teacher or other adult at recess or breaks

There is no hard evidence to show that children who are targeted by bullies share certain physical characteristics. Hoover & Oliver (1996).

What about the bully? Studies show that children identified as bullies by age 8 are 6 times more likely to be convicted of a crime by age 24 National Association of School Psychologists 60% of kids characterized as bullies in the 6 th -9 th grade had at least 1 criminal conviction by age 24. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Bullies are 5 times more likely to end up with a serious criminal record by age 30. National Association of School Psychologists

What causes bullying? Home-Life Factors: lack of warmth & attention, modeling of aggressive behavior in the home, poor role-models, poor supervision. Personal Factors: ill-tempered, active & impulsive personality, craves attention. School Environmental Factors: overall climate of the school. London Family Court Clinic

What motivates a bully? Bullies prey on an imbalance of power. They are seeking attention. They need to make themselves feel more important. They need a particular reaction from the other members of the group. Bullies believe their behavior is exciting and makes them more popular.

What motivates a bully? They may be coping with a loss. They may have an active & impulsive temperament. They may be victims of abuse. They may see violence modeled at home. They probably have a low self-esteem.

Remember… No matter what the reason, there is NEVER an excuse for bullying behavior.

Profile of a bully Aggressive, physically strong Routinely violent Poor communication skills High or low self-esteem Insecure, with a need to control From a dysfunctional family Thrives on domination Attention seeking Immature and envious Disruptive, divisive, oppositional A low achiever, low anxiety Lies, denies responsibility and violates school rules Uncaring - lacks empathy & remorse Exploitative

There are 3 types of bullies: The Confident Bully physically strong, enjoy aggression, feel secure, average popularity, commit violence, theft & destruction of property The Anxious Bully academically weak, poor concentration, less popular, less secure, use teasing & name-calling, use peer influence to socially exclude targets The Bully / Victim are bullies in some situations and victimized by bullies in other situations, generally unpopular, may taunt and provoke bullies

Time to take ACTION! Recognize bullying when it happens. Get involved. Confront the bully. Support the target. Report the incident.

Take Action NOW! RECOGNIZE an incident when it occurs. Remember the 4 ways bullying occurs: verbal (direct & indirect), physical, sexual and property. Look for the warning signs. Ask questions.

Take Action NOW! GET INVOLVED when you see an incident or when one is reported to you. Take an active role in changing the “norm.” Share information with other teachers. Get out in the halls between classes – KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND YOU!!!

Take Action NOW! CONFRONT THE BULLY Remove the bully from the situation. Consider safety – if the student is agitated, have at least one other staff member with you. You may need to allow time for the student to deescalate. Identify the behavior and tell them it is inappropriate and will not be tolerated. Offer corrective counseling: Ask the bully to identify why the behavior is inappropriate. Ask the bully to give an example of a more constructive way to interact with others.

Take Action NOW! CONFRONT THE BULLY Let them know that the incident will be reported (in writing) to the school administration, and law enforcement (if appropriate). Advise the bully of potential consequences for continuing the behavior.

Take Action NOW! SUPPORT THE TARGET: Remember…the problem is the bully… NOT the target. Offer a compliment or encouraging word. Let them know they are not alone, and their feelings ARE important. DO NOT offer excuses for the bully’s behavior. Allow the target to help determine the best way to deal with the bullying situation.

Take Action NOW! REPORT IT: Bullying is a violation of school policy. Bullies need to be held accountable for their actions. Reporting bullying helps insure the bully gets the appropriate counseling. By law, when you witness a bullying incident or have reliable information that an incident has occurred, you are encouraged to report the incident to the appropriate school official.

What are the consequences for the bully? Warning Verbal and written Permanently documented Counseling Anger Management, Conflict Resolution/ Communication/Problem Solving Skills, Diversity Training during Saturday school or after school detention. May be provided by administrators, teachers, counselors, school psychologists or school resource officers Referral to Law Enforcement (when applicable) Suspension / Expulsion

Bullying Discipline Continuum Verbal & Non-Verbal Teasing Intimidation/ Extortion Destruction of Property Physical Assault Weapons Assault 1 st Offense Warning Warning/ Restitution Refer to Police Suspension 911 for Police Expulsion 911 for Police 2 nd Offense Counseling Counseling/ Restitution Counseling Refer to Police Expulsion 911 for Police 3 rd Offense Suspension (short term) Suspension (short term) Suspension (short term) Add’l Offenses Suspension (long term) Suspension (long term) Suspension (long term) ** PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT AT ALL LEVELS**

How can we PREVENT bullying? Make it clear that you don’t condone any kind of harassment or mistreatment of others. Avoid using negative or derogatory humor with staff or students. Take reports of bullying seriously.

How can we PREVENT bullying? Infuse anti-bullying and violence prevention into your curriculum. Use group activities or assignments that require sharing or collaboration. Praise students for acts of kindness and respect. Choose stories and books that have a bullying theme. Develop exercises to help students appreciate each other’s uniqueness!

How can we PREVENT bullying? Promote empathy and awareness for others’ feelings in your classroom. Educate your students on the difference between tattling and reporting. Get to know your students so you can recognize any warning signs.

How can we PREVENT bullying? Initiate conversations with students about bullying. Don’t assume that because you haven’t heard about it, it’s not happening! Keep a log of all bullying incidents. Include who was involved, where it occurred, how often, and what strategies you used to address it.

To prevent bullying, educators need to do nothing less than change school culture, the social environment in which learning takes place. J. David Hawkins University of Washington

T OGETHER E VERYONE A CHIEVES M ORE!!!