On September 23, 2010, a 13-year-old who had endured years of
bullying at school committed suicide.[1] The day before that, an
18-year-old university student committed suicide after an act of
cyberbullying, and a few days later a student at another college
who'd been bullied also took his own life.[2]
On average, 160,000 students a day avoid school out of fear of
bullying.[3] Have you ever felt taunted or threatened at school? Or if
you are a parent, do you worry about the physical and psychological
well-being of your child while you are at work? As a school official,
are you concerned about creating a safe and accepting environment for
your educational community? Bullying's increased national attention
has sparked fresh ideas and new approaches. Just recently, for
example, the state of Massachusetts passed legislation that makes
school bullying illegal.[4] How can everyone contribute to eliminating
bullying? Read on to get a head start.
!! Steps !!
* If you are a student, initiate a club that promotes tolerance and
respect. Work with teachers and administrators to create
schoolwide activities. Hold assemblies and make them both
informative and fun (go multimedia!).
* Create campaigns that encourage other students to report bullying.
Most often, both victims and witnesses are too intimidated or
ashamed to come forward. Brainstorm with your school counselors on
ways to helped bullied students take control of their situation.
Make informational flyers, innovative videos.
* Use social networking to your advantage. Block those bullies.
Think carefully about whom you let into your online circle of
friends.
* Establish a student-run and peer-mentored "hotline." This may
be as simple as creating a group of advocates who take turns being
"on call" through a chat program at designated times.
* Rally your student body around one common cause. Find exciting,
positive projects that appeal to many. Maybe it's the first ever
video yearbook. Or a large community service activity.
* Create a website serving as a bully-free portal that includes
information about and access to all of the programs, clubs, and
services available at your school. Interconnectivity is key! You
could also develop a reference page with links to support groups,
websites, books, and videos related to bullying.
* If you are a parent, make a habit of talking to your child about
his or day at school. Get the details in an inviting and engaging
way. Ask not only about schoolwork but also about friends and
extracurricular activities. Remain informed about his or her
social relationships. Get to know your child's friends and their
parents.
* Keep an eye on your child's Internet activity. While all
children need some amount privacy, especially teenagers, the World
Wide Web can be a dangerous and lonely place if your child is
being cyber-bullied. There are a number of software products
available for this. Several online businesses will not only
monitor cyber-traffic but also submit regular activity reports to
parents.
* Establish or become active in a parents' alliance group. This
might be part of your Parent Teacher Association or it might be a
separate group. Connect with a national organization[5] and
network beyond your immediate community.
* Collaborate with teachers and administrators on policies and
procedures that address school bullying. Establish a collective
approach while also holding your school officials accountable for
incidents of bullying.
If you are an administrator, develop and execute a thorough
anti-bullying plan that includes:
* An established and well-publicized policy statement containing the
definition of bullying, its dangers, and its consequences
* Mandatory awareness programs for students and staff
* Protocols for urgent response
* Ongoing professional development for your school's staff
* Community-building strategies
* Create a real-time, online networking system among school
officials and staff devoted to reporting school bullying.[6]
* Support your students' anti-bullying efforts not only with words
but with resources and action. Authorize an assembly, provide
funds, or participate with your students. Embrace your school
community!
!! Sources And Citations !!
!! Article Tools !!
* Read on wikiHow
*
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