Professional Readings
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Professional Readings includes reviews of recent publications and highlights of reports on current issues that affect schools. Your contributions are welcome. Send them to principal@osu.edu. Please indicate if we may use your name in the “contributor” credits.
Creating Safe Schools: Combating the Problem of Bullying by “Fighting Back” in Different Ways
By Beth Camp, M.S., National Certified Counselor, and Caroline Baker, M.S., National Certified Counselor
You may or may not be surprised to find out that bullying continues to be an epidemic throughout our country’s education system. Students in all grade levels report experiences with bullies or bullying behaviors, either as a victim, bully, or bystander, and these experiences create and maintain a climate of fear at school. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, bullying is defined as “aggressive behavior that is intentional and that involves an imbalance of power or strength that is repeated over time.” As a principal, there are many things you can do and resources you can turn to for information and ideas on how to address bullying in your school.
Both boys and girls participate in bullying and both genders can be victimized. Typically, boys use more physical methods to intimidate like pushing, shoving, and “pantsing,” or pulling a student’s pants down in front of fellow students. Girls will use social exclusion such as spreading rumors, criticizing looks, and telling secrets about the victim as well as nonverbal body language to threaten their victims. Verbal bullying is seen among both boys and girls and includes put-downs, teasing, and threats. A relatively new method of bullying exists through use of the Internet. Cyberbullying involves spreading rumors, arguing, exclusion, and other forms of bullying through instant messages, e-mails, websites, and chat rooms. This serious type of bullying limits intervention and can be perpetrated at any time.
Assessment of the bullying epidemic in your school is the first step to combating bullying. Without these data, it is hard to know what is going on behind the scenes and in the hallways. Administering an anonymous questionnaire to students can provide data for you concerning the amount of bullying, the types of bullying, and the places where bullying is occurring. This information can be eye opening and encourage others in the building who previously were not aware of the prevalence of bullying to become involved in combating this epidemic.
The research suggests that bullying prevention efforts work best when they are addressed by a team consisting not only of educators but also parents and community members. Forming a bullying prevention committee can not only combat bullying but also communicate to the students how seriously you take this issue. In addition, the research shows that forming a student advisory board on bullying can provide suggestions and feedback to this team of adults and get students involved in this cause. Some school boards are addressing the climate of fear by developing a school policy that defines bullying as well as the specific consequences for any such act. Having this policy and the consequences posted throughout the school in an age-appropriate format can be helpful for everyone involved to know the limits and what will be done. Principals and teachers can simply refer to the policy and clearly identified consequences when addressing a situation, helping the student body to adapt to the consistent system and improved school climate. Check your county’s policy to make sure you are following the protocol.
A confidential reporting system should be established and effectively communicated to all students to encourage them to come forward with information. As you meet with a student who you suspect may be a victim of bullying, you might find the following questions helpful in striking up a conversation about this sensitive topic. Expressing your concern to the student and creating a “safe” place to talk can encourage the student to talk more openly. Here are some ways to approach a student who you suspect may be a victim of bullying:
- “I’m worried about you. Are there any kids at school who may be picking on you or bullying you?”
- “I’m worried about you. Is there anything I can do to make you feel safer at school?”
- “I’m worried about you. Are there any kids at school who tease you in a mean way?”
- “I’m worried about you. Are there any kids at school who leave you out on purpose?”
- “Who do you sit with at lunch and on the bus?”
- “Are there any kids at school who you really don’t like? Why don’t you like them? Do they ever pick on you or leave you out of things?”
If, after addressing the bullying issue and consequences from the perspective and role of a principal, you feel a student could benefit from additional work, refer the student(s) to your school counselor who has training to work with both. For additional information, please feel free to contact the authors at camp.49@osu.edu or carolinebaker78@yahoo.com.
Additional Bullying Resources
- Beane, A. 1999. The Bully-Free Classroom. Free Spirit Publishing, Inc.
- Simmons, R. 2002. Odd Girl Out. Harcourt, Inc.
- National Library of Medicine/National Institute of Health. Bullying. www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bullying.html
- Health Resources and Services Administration. Stop Bullying Now. www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov
Related article: Collaboration in Schools: Combating the Problem of Bullying with a Team Approach >
