Bullying in School: What to Look for & What to Do By the Members of Group B: Christina Hevia, Elizabeth Lange, Tina Latvala, Susan Madson, Katherine Niffin, Crystal Perez Welander, Molly Richardson, Kaia Sappington, & Joanne Whang

Bullying is Serious Stuff Bullies have been taken for granted as part of childhood and school culture in the past. Now experts are showing that the implications of our bullying problems go far beyond simple playground teasing and a few tears quickly forgotten (AACAP, 2008): school absenteeism low academic achievement poor social and emotional development depression suicide and harmful behavior toward others Both bully and bullied are affected in these ways by the behavior (NICHD, 2001).

It Is a BIG DEAL! Bullying is a widespread problem in today’s schools, affecting anywhere from 30-60% of children at any time, and more than 10% of our nation’s students on a regular basis ( AACAP, 2008). One study found that 58% of students have stayed home from school as a result of bully- related issues (Sommers-Flanagan & Sommers-Flanagan, 2010).

Recognizing Bullying in School (Channing Bete Company, Inc., 2002) What to look for… Physical, verbal, and/or mental abuse Examples of each include… Physical - hitting, pushing, poking, bumping, tripping, pulling hair, etc. Verbal - teasing, name calling, insulting, mimicking, threatening, extortion, etc. Mental - Ignoring, isolation, excluding, taking possessions, spreading rumors, gossiping, etc.

Not Your Grandpa’s Bully “Parents might not realize that the stereotypical bully of generations past—a swaggering schoolyard lout, low on self-esteem, quick to lash out, easy to identify—has become as anachronistic as the blackboard at many schools.” (Hampson, 2010) A 21st Century Bully “Technology has definitely impacted bullying. What used to be a face-to-face encounter that occurred in specific locations is now able to occur 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Technology—computers, cell phones and social networking sites—are all conditions that allow bullying to occur.” (APA & Swearer, 2010)

Who Gets Bullied More? (Channing Bete Company, Inc., 2002) In general, it has been reported that physical bullying is more common among boys than among girls. Bullying among girls is more likely to be verbal or mental. There is a bullying triangle which consists of... Bullies Targets Bystanders

What Do Bullies Want? (Channing Bete Company, Inc., 2002) POWER... and to get it they need Targets (They pick who they think they can defeat.) Helpers (Background support, kids who help them.) Passive Bystanders (Kids in the school who do nothing.)

Proactive or Reactive? (Channing Bete Company, Inc., 2002) Bullies can be either “proactive” or “reactive.” Reactive bullies tend to think that others are out to get them, so they react aggressively to even the slightest provocation. Pro-active bullies act in a premeditated way. They plan their actions in order to achieve advantage of domination over others.

Bullying in an Elementary School (DeHaan, 1997) It can appear in several different ways: Often of physical nature Bullies are open about their aggressiveness The bully usually targets a younger student Boys are most likely to be the bully, but girls can also get involved How it affects the bullied child: Asks for extra money on a consistent basis Loses interest in going to school Waits to use the bathroom until they get home Refuses to go to school (15% of excessive absences are related to school bullying)

Bullying in a Middle School (NMSA, 2006) What is can look like: More likely to pick on someone their own age Girl bullying increases, but abuse tends to be more verbal than physical Although some boys use physical attacks, verbal bullying is more common Relational bullying (excluding one student from a group) How it affects the student: Can often become bullies themselves Feel they deserve or brought on the bullying Often become more vulnerable and self-conscious, so even teasing done without malicious intent can be harmful Feelings of sadness, anger, hurt

Bullying during High School (New, 2007) What it looks like: Cyberbulling increases through social networking sites (Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, etc.) More physical aggression present than in middle school Passing notes (as extreme as death threats) Stealing, taunting, threatening How it affects the student being bullied: Severe depression, low self esteem, anxiety Separation from friends and family Suicide Excessive absences that could lead to graduation problems

Quotes from Experts (as cited by Bowers, 2009) Dr. Allan Beane, author of The Bully-Free Classroom, addressing the suicides of bullying victims: Bill Nigut, Anti-Defamation League regional director: “These kids get angry and frustrated, and it creates this sort of toxic shame within them. They also have gotten to the point where they can’t trust adults to handle their situation right, so they wonder how they’ll cope.” “Bullying isn’t swine flu. It’s not some new virus that’s come out of nowhere. It’s something that has been around at least since I was in school. But back then, we didn’t look at it as destructive behavior. Now we know that bullying has strong repercussions, and more and more schools know they need to address the problem.”

Bullying Statistics To date, nine independent studies have shown that Roots Of Empathy schools experience "reduced aggression" and "increased prosocial behavior" among students (Szalavitz, 2010) It is estimated that 1 in 4 elementary school bullies have a criminal record by the time they reach 40. (New, 2007) In one county-wide middle school survey, 24.1% of youth reported bullying others at least once in the past semester (Nansel, 2001)

Bullying Perceptions of 3 rd, 5 th, & 7 th Grade Students A 2001 survey by Harlow & Roe (2010) found that 29.9 percent of students in sixth through tenth grades reported and admitted to moderate or frequent involvement in bullying 13.0% as the bully 1o.6% as being bullied 6.3% as both bully and victim A different study reported approximately 22% of U.S. students are involved in bullying (as cited by Middleton, 2008) 7% as the bully 9% as being bullied 6% as both bully and victim

Bullying Perceptions of 3 rd, 5 th, & 7 th Grade Students (as cited by Middleton, 2008) A Kaiser Family Foundation study of 8-11 and year olds found that students identified bullying and teasing as the most serious problem for their age group - more than drugs or alcohol, sex, violence, discrimination or other problems. The tendency to bully others at school significantly predicts subsequent antisocial and violent behavior; 60% of those characterized as bullies in grades 6-9 had at least one criminal conviction by age twenty four. In 2001, a U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Department of Education study of 37 school shooting incidents from found that 71% of the shooters felt bullied, threatened, attacked or persecuted, 78% had suicidal thoughts or had attempted suicide, and 61% showed extreme depression or desperation.

Bullying Perceptions of 3 rd, 5 th, & 7 th Grade Students (Middleton, 2008) In the Oklahoma Bullying Study, 2005, students reported the frequency of bullying at their school as never (6%), not very often (40%), weekly (22%) or daily (32%). Sixty-nine percent of seventh graders, 54% of fifth graders, and 40% of third graders reported that bullying occurred weekly or daily at school. Children reported the most frequent places for bullying to occur was on the playground (70%), the bus (42%), halls (36%), bathrooms (28%), classrooms (23%), and cafeteria (23%).

The Debate How stringent should laws be regarding bullying? Should we focus on punishment or prevention? To what extent can teachers and school administration be held responsible for bullying? These are all hot questions regarding the big issue of bullying right now. It has become quite significant in the world of education because of the immediate and long-term dangers associated for the many who bully and are bullied in our schools.

Billy Wolfe (Fayetteville, AR) Megan Meier (Dardenne Prairie, MO) Phoebe Prince (South Hadley, MA)

Case Study #1: Billy Wolfe (Barry, 2008) Bully target from 12 years old Beatings at the bus stop, during class Bullies created Facebook page “Everyone That Hates Billy Wolfe” Hateful words written inside of Billy’s text books Fayetteville (AR) School District response Notified parents of bullies (resulting in more beatings) Have refused to contact police Blame Billy for trouble Implications for Billy Poor grades, disruptive in class Parents considering lawsuit against Fayetteville SD

Case Study #2: Megan Meier (Maag, 2007; Steinhauer, 2008) In 2006, Megan (13) was led to believe that a boy, ‘Josh’, was interested in her, through MySpace ‘Josh’ turned mean and wrote, “The world would be better without you.” Other students joined in with hurtful comments Megan committed suicide later that day ‘Josh’ was actually Lori Drew, the parent of a former friend of Megan Local authorities in Missouri could not charge Ms. Drew In 2008, Ms. Drew was convicted of three charges of computer fraud in federal court; convictions were later thrown out (2009) Megan’s case led to HR 1966 Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act It is a federal crime to send a communication intended to “coerce, intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress to another person.”

Case Study #3: Phoebe Prince (Eckholm & Zezima, 2010; Gibbs, 2010) Phoebe (15) moved from Ireland to Massachusetts in 2009 Bullying started after dating a popular boy Taunted by classmates, calling her an “Irish slut” Verbal abuse and physical threats continued Phoebe committed suicide in January 2010 Unclear if teachers at South Hadley High knew about abuse Phoebe had gone to a school officer at least once but had told friends that nothing was being done Investigation is continuing as to school’s lack of involvement At least 6 students are charged in her death Parents are considering a civil suit

Theories on Eliminating Bullying Each of the following theories propose ideas for bullying prevention and elimination in schools. Research shows that these ideas work best when implemented together. Moral Inclusion Theory Bibliotherapy Moratherapy

Moral Inclusion Theory (Opotow et al., 2005) Used in a successful anti-bullying program developed and tested in Norway Works to change a school climate from fear and violence to respect and safety Emphasizes warmth and positive interest towards children in all settings (home, school, community) Support and protection for victims Clear limits on unacceptable behavior Clear and consistent enforcement of rules Appropriate supervision of students Proven in studies to reduce bullying

Bibliotherapy (Brinson, 2005) A creative tool to help children resolve bullying issues Uses developmentally appropriate books and stories to which students can relate Helps with conflict resolution and personal development of positive self-attributes Stories help kids see the other side / increase empathy Stories emphasize and model acts of kindness Should be used in combination with other bullying interventions

Moratherapy (Brinson, 2005) Increases student understanding of the importance of morally sound behavior (physical and verbal) Progress in moratherapy works on a continuum towards advanced moral behavior Promotes goodwill and ethical behavior towards all individuals Can be incorporated into readings, class discussions, assemblies, therapeutic games Goal: give children the knowledge, insight, and critical thinking skills to make good decisions, have them think outside of themselves

Coping with Being Bullied Steve Breakstone shares how he dealt with bullying in this YouTube video: ure=related ure=related Attribution: mikedeiblatt on youtube.com

So how can “WE” create a safe school? (Channing Bete Company, Inc., 2002) Focus on “positive” values. Help advertise rules and consequences. Report bullying. Have a whole school approach to preventing, handling and eliminating bullying in schools. (Telecom & NZP)

REPORT BULLYING (Channing Bete Company, Inc., 2002) Reporting is not tattling. Reporting bullying is important for several reasons: It can stop more bullying from taking place against the victim. It can stop bullying against other victims. It can start the bully on the road to getting help, which he or she needs.

Encourage Kids to... (Channing Bete Company, Inc., 2002) Use the buddy system to keep kids from being isolated. Students can sign a contract to help stop bullying. Monitors can watch out for bullying. Encourage kids to talk to outsiders not at school such as family, police, mentors.

…Build Relationships (Channing Bete Company, Inc., 2002) Get real with each other Respecting and understanding differences Solving problems peacefully Respect and appreciate appearances, but do not judge by them Make an effort to get to know people different

…Follow the 4-Step Process for problem solving (Channing Bete Company, Inc., 2002) Calm Down: Take some deep breaths Name the problem: Make sure each person has a chance to explain his or her side of the problem. Brainstorm solutions: Each person should suggest ways to solve the problem. Find win-win compromise: Each person can contribute to the solution. Role Plays can be effective to model situations to solving problems.

Teacher’s Role – Stopping the Behavior Recommendations from Channing Bete Company, Inc. (2002) Use “I” messages when in an argument. Be assertive not aggressive! Have positive “body” language. Stand up straight Look people in the eye Speak firmly Do not encourage by saying, “Stop!” Show displeasure by saying, “The school has a rule against that!”

Teacher’s Role – Addressing the Behavior Recommendations from Telecom & the New Zealand Police Establish and enforce clear procedures for misbehavior Employ intervention that will immediately stop abuse Support victim & ask peer group to help them Identify what occurred Focus on bully’s behavior and not on victim’s shortcomings Help bully to change behavior

Teacher’s Role – Supporting the Victim Preventing an episode (Telecom & NZP): Provide a bully-free environment as part of character education program Spend time with isolated students when not with peer group Help to act more decisively or increase confidence During or after an episode: Help the person out of the situation (CBC, 2002) Say nice or encouraging things (CBC, 2002) Offer more help if needed (CBC, 2002) Permit student to leave to a special safe room (Telecom & NZP) Provide reliable supporters, such as peers, teacher aids, and classroom volunteers (Telecom & NZP) If you are being bullied you should (CBC, 2002): Ignore it Smile or laugh Calmly walk away

RECAP: (Channing Bete Company, Inc., 2002) Tell the bully to stop! Use assertive body language. Be brief, but firm. If you are attacked or think you are in danger, get out! Report it. Describe the bullying as clearly as you can. Ask for advice or help.

References American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. (2008). Bullying. American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 80. Retrieved from American Psychological Association (Interviewer) & Swearer, S. (Interviewee). (2010). Bullying: What parents, teachers can do to stop it [Interview Transcript]. Retrieved from Barry, B. (2008). A boy the bullies love to beat up, repeatedly. The New York Times. Retrieved from Bowers, P. (2009). Bullying: Suicides highlight a schoolyard problem. Time. Retrieved from Brinson, S. (2005). Boys don't tell on sugar-and-spice-but-not-so-nice girl bullies. Reclaiming Children and Youth: The Journal of Strength-based Interventions, 14(3), Retrieved from ERIC database. Channing Bete Company, Inc. (2002). Bullying prevention is everyone’s job! Retrieved from bete.com/education/bullying-violence-prevent.html Cranham, J., & Carroll, A. (2003). Dynamics within the bully/victim paradigm: A qualitative analysis. Educational Psychology in Practice, 19(2), Retrieved from ERIC database. DeHaan, L. (1997). Bullies. Retrieved from Deiblatt, M. (2008). Bully prevention strategy story. Retrieved from YouTube website: Eckholm, E., & Zezima, K. (2010). Documents detail a girl’s final days of bullying. The New York Times. Retrieved from Eckholm, E., & Zezima, K. (2010). Questions for school on bullying and suicide. The New York Times. Retrieved from Gibbs, N. (2010). When bullying goes criminal. Time. Retrieved from

References (cont.) Hampson, R. (2010, April 5). A ‘watershed’ case in school bullying? USA Today. Retrieved from Harlow, K.C., & Roberts, R. (2010). An exploration of the relationship between social and psychological factors and being bullied. Children and Schools, 32(1), Maag, C, (2007). A hoax turned fatal draws anger but no charges. The New York Times. Retrieved from Middleton, K. (2008). Bullying perceptions of third, fifth and seventh grade students in Oklahoma public schools, Retrieved from Nansel, T.R. (2001). Bullying behaviors among US youth. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 285(16). Retrieved from National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2001). Bullying widespread in US schools, survey finds. Retrieved from National Institute of Health website: National Middle School Association. (2006). Bullying in middle schools: Prevention and intervention. Middle School Journal, 37(3). Retrieved from New, M. (2007). Dealing with bullying. Retrieved from The Nemours Foundation TeensHealth website: Opotow, S., Gerson, J., & Woodside, S. (2005). From moral exclusion to moral inclusion: Theory for teaching peace. Theory Into Practice, 44(4), Retrieved from ERIC database. Sommers-Flanagan, J., & Sommers-Flanagan, R. (2010). The buzz on bullying. Retrieved from Steinhauer, J. (2008). Verdict in MySpace case. The New York Times. Retrieved from Szalavitz, M. (2010). How to deprogram bullies: Teaching kindness 101. Time. March 24, Retrieved from Telecom and New Zealand Police. (n.d.). Stop bullying – guidelines for schools. Retrieved from