Bullying can threaten students’ physical and emotional safety at school and can negatively impact their ability to learn. Here’s what you can do when bullying rears its ugly head on your campus:
1. Recognize there is a problem:
It’s easier to identify the more traditional forms of bullying, which include assault, tripping, intimidation and taunting. Other, less recognizable forms of harassment include rumor spreading, name calling and insults sent via text messaging or posted on social networking sites.
2. Identify who can be a bully:
With traditional bullying, the common perpetrator is usually stronger, physically larger or more psychologically intimidating. With cyberbullying however, those rules might not apply.
“In the cyber world, those who are physically weak are the ones who can be psychologically or mentally stronger and out maneuver someone else who is much bigger or older and bully them,” said Denny Shaw, chief operations officer for iSafe. “You can have an “A” student who is in all of the civics classes and leadership classes who is being a bully.”
3. Encourage student witnesses to report harassment:
The vast majority of students aren’t involved in bullying, but they know it is happening and don’t report it. Who should you report to? On the Fullerton Union High School campus, you can go to go any adult staff member to report incidents of bullying. All incidents will be directed to our APSA.
4. Encourage victims to report abuse:
Only about 15 percent of bullying victims tell an adult they are being harassed. Often they keep quiet because they are embarrassed. Please let them know there is no need to be embarrassed or that they are in any way at fault for what is happening and that help is out there.
5. Collect evidence:
Particularly in cyberbullying cases, it is critical that threatening texts and social media posts be saved as evidence. This enables parents and students to show the evidence to school administrators – or in extreme circumstances, such as hate crimes or sexual exploitation, the police - so they can address the issue with the bully’s parents or press charges.
Resources for teens
Cybertipline.com
Nsteens.org
Athinline.org
Thatsnotcool.com
stopbullying.gov