Bullying From The Political Arena

My posts have been mainly about children and bullying. Today, I would like to talk about something a little different.

 

Do political personal attack ads amount to bullying? It's not OK for kids, but it's allowed in politics? What an example! Maybe we should start at the top and work our way down. When our government leaders are bullying, what do we expect from our children?

While legal action may be called for in many cases of bullying, it will not solve the problem at its root... a root which is in ourselves, our children, our society . . . and even our political process. Already our children look out into their world and see bullying in one arena after another. Actually, they don't only see bullying in every arena, they see adults modeling or teaching bullying. In families they see different forms of domestic violence, from blatant and physical to more subtle and verbal or emotional . . . sometimes even under the guise of joking, good parenting, or "for your own good." In schools they don't only see students bullying each other, but they see adults, teachers, bullying students . . . again often under the guise of teaching, helping, and needed discipline.  On television, our children see bullying in perhaps every genre of show... certainly under the guise of entertainment, certainly under the guise of comedy, and certainly under the guise of news.

The list is unfortunately endless. But at this particular time, we need to look at our politics and see what our politics are teaching our children.

What do our children see when they look out into their world and see bullying by our leaders?


We'd like to believe our leaders and potential leaders are teaching our children about democracy, the right to speak, and freedom. But are we willing to see that our politics are teaching our children about bullying? Our politics are normalizing bullying in our culture. If our candidates for leadership in our government are using bullying as part of their campaigns for office, they are making bullying socially acceptable . . . whether they see it, acknowledge it, or deny it.


Some examples:
1. Political campaigns, past and present, have been carried out against candidates in the form of lying and distortion . . . too many to even begin to list here.

2. Bullying against voters and candidates has occurred in elections over the past decade as voters have been prevented from casting their votes, one way or another. For instance, The Washington Times explained that back in 2008 the New Black Panther Party intimidated voters at an election poll in Pennsylvania. In 2012 they returned again.

3. The government sanctioned bullying of the Tea Party, Patriot groups, 911 groups and other Republican organizations by the I.R.S. The reasoning is holding up their requests for tax exempt status. Not one progressive party was scrutinized or denied their tax exempt status.

4. Investor's Business Daily recently gives the reasoning behind the bullying on Aug. 24. 2011 committed by the I.R.S. (Obama's Administration) to the company Gibson Guitar due to the fact that they support the Republican Party. Why wasn't C.F. Martin & Co also fined for using the same wood as Gibson Guitar? The use of the wood to make the guitars was also used by a competing company called C.F. Martin & Co (Democratic supporter) and yet they only received a letter. Gibson Guitar was fined for hundreds of thousands of dollars and also confiscated the wood.
 
5. In 2010 Obama uses the bullying pulpit and bullies the Supreme Court in the State of the Union Address. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito is seen in the video below shaking his head in defiance and saying "That's not true" in reference to Obama's opinion of the Supreme Court ruling on restricting the lobbyists contributions to candidates running for office.

    

 

 6. More Recently, The New York Times shows a video of President Obama once again using the bullying pulpit to bully the Supreme Court as he deeply expresses how he feels that they made "a mistake" in regards to their ruling on the voting rights act. They struck down two provisions of the the 1965 civil rights bill because it no longer applies in today's world. The south is not the same today as it was back in 1964.   

These previous issues are the latest examples of bullying from the government. All "political" parties from both sides of the aisle have used the bully pulpit. The term "bully pulpit" was coined by Theodore Roosevelt (Republican) which means a terrific platform from which to persuasively advocate an agenda. No matter who uses the pulpit, the issue still remains about bullying. Below are a few instances of our past republican leaders  who have used the bully pulpit, such as:

• During the 20th Century, Theodore Roosevelt used the bully pulpit and gave powerful speeches regarding the railroad regulation and  food inspection.
• In 1981 Ronald Regan used the bully pulpit and persuaded the american public into the acceptance of tax cuts. That could lower deficits and boost the economy. Also, he bullied the public by using scare tactics in order to get an increased military budget by giving speeches warning about communism. Lastly, when Regan made peace with the Soviet Union, the bully pulpit was once again used. For example, he gave a very powerful speech regarding the taking down of the Berlin Wall.

 

• George W. Bush used the bully pulpit for the reform of Social Security back in 2002.  

 

If our leaders in our government are using bullying in the office and are not being stopped, they and those who need to stop them are making bullying socially acceptable. Who are those who need to stop them? We are. We are the adults in our country. It is our responsibility to recognize bullying when it is happening, when it is being normalized, when it is being made socially acceptable . . . even under a guise. It is our responsibility to say 'no' to bullying in whatever form. It is our responsibility to help heal bullying in our country -- individually and communally. It is our responsibility to do that in our own lives, to help our children do that in their lives, and to stand firm in the face of bullying in our country. The challenge is how to do all of that without bullying!

Celebrities Who Were Bullied



Bullying has been around for ages and most likely will continue to occur. Below is a picture showing a relatively common instance of bullying. There are two school aged boys somewhere on school property, most likely after school during the fall months. We have a bigger stronger boy on the right using intimidation and physical strength to instill fear in the weak. Of course, the weaker of the two will submit as seen below. The smaller boy on the left seems very scared. He is not doing anything to defend himself probably because he doesn't want to make the situation worse. Any kind of defense tactic may set the bully off into really hurting him. He'd rather let the bully continue with his behavior in order to maintain some sort of safety for himself. Unfortunately, this reaction in just putting up with the bullying is a very common reaction amongst kids and adults. Confronting the bully may seem too overwhelming. It is the fear for one's safety that keeps them submissive to the bully as seen below.  

 

 

 

 

Below are a few celebrities that have experienced bullying in their life.

 Sure, they may be at the top of their game now -- wildly successful and celebrated worldwide for their work in showbiz -- but did you know that some of your favorite musicians and actors were actually bullied as kids?


Rihanna

Growing up, Rihanna was teased—to the point of fist fights—for having paler skin than her peers."I was cultured in a very 'black' way. But when I got to school I'm being called 'white' . . . they would look at me, and they would curse me out. I didn't understand." From an interview with Allure Magazine.

 

 

 

Robert Pattinson  

"I got beaten up by a lot of people when I was younger. I was a bit of an idiot, but I always thought the assaults were unprovoked. It was after I first started acting and I liked to behave like an actor, or how I thought an actor was supposed to be, and that apparently provoked a lot of people into hitting me." Parade Magazine.

 

 

 

Justin Timberlake

"I grew up in Tennessee, and if you didn't play football, you were a sissy. I got slurs all the time because I was in music and art . . . I was an outcast in a lot of ways . . . but everything that you get picked on for or you feel makes you weird is essentially what's going to make you sexy as an adult." From an interview on Ellen.

 

 

 

 

Christian Bale 

 

 "I took a beating from several boys for years. They put me through hell, punching and kicking me all the time," Bale told People Magazine. Then he added: "If you can face the bullying at school and come through it stronger, that is a lesson for life." Via BBC News.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You may think celebrities have it all and that their lives are perfect. It’s not true! There are so many celebrities that were bullied in school, making them proof that it does get better.

I know we discuss bullying a lot, but as long as it’s still happening we’re still going to talk about it. Bullying, unfortunately, is something that a lot of people have to endure. And it’s not just in school either. Adults fall victim to bullying as well. It’s a problem that can affect everyone, and that’s why it’s so important to discuss.

It’s so easy to let bullying get you down. I have firsthand experience watching it done to a loved one and it’s really difficult to see a light at the end of the tunnel. But there is a light! 

 

 

 

Teachers Who Bully

Bullying Teachers 

The problem of teachers bullying students is more common than you think. Learn how to prevent your child from becoming a victim.

In recent years, a slew of books have offered parents ample insight into the minds of young bullies.

 

But what if it's the teacher who screams, threatens, or uses biting sarcasm to humiliate a child in front of the class?

 

Teacher bullying gets little attention. The dunce cap, standing in the corner, having one's hand whacked with a ruler, having one's poor grade announced to the class: all these methods that at one time were a common occurrence in educational settings might now fall under the category of bullying teachers. Bullying teachers can act by using degrading words and treatment, as well as physical punishments. Other school employees besides teachers can bully students, including coaches, custodians, security personnel, and the front office staff, even the principal. 

The public display of a bullying victim's inadequacy often has a different feel in the classroom. For most work is independent and grades can be returned privately versus in the gym, on the sports field, or in the shop setting-- where all work is on display, making everyone aware of the victim's situation. The teacher responding to a student while standing beside his or her desk can maintain some semblances of privacy; the coach or teacher responding to a student half a football field or gymnasium away will likely be heard by all. Thus, in some school settings, humiliation is more likely for a sensitive student, even when correction or constructive criticism is given, let alone when teacher bullying occurs.

It is unclear whether teacher bullying may actually set the stage for peer bullying. Teacher bullying may go unreported for several reasons. The victim may not trust the system to support or believe him or her, especially if there are any instances in which the victim had infringed school behavior rules. The victim may also fear retribution by the teacher in the form of a lowered grade or more teacher bullying behavior. The victim may also fear retribution by students who are in good standing with the teacher.  When teachers bully an entire class, the feeling may be that they have the support of the school and that everyone must know and accept this behavior. Teachers may also bully other teachers and school staff.
 
Stuart Twemlow, MD, a psychiatrist who directs the Peaceful Schools and Communities Project at the Menninger Clinic in Houston hints in his new study, published in The International Journal of Social Psychiatry, that the problem of teachers bullying may be more common than people believe.

In his anonymous survey of 116 teachers at seven elementary schools, more than 70% said they believed that bullying was isolated. But 45% admitted to having bullied a student. He defines teacher bullying as using power to punish, manipulate, or disparage a student beyond what would be a reasonable disciplinary procedure.


Although there are truly good teachers, we also know there are a few bad apples. Nevertheless, bullying is a risk.


Food for thought:

About a month or two ago, a mother complained to me that an upper grade teacher humiliated her son in front of the class and said "You and your people are a bunch of terrorists". This is such a horrible thing to say at all, never-mind to a 7th grader and yet nothing was done to the teacher. There were no repercussions for her actions and her job remained intact. Aside from the fact that she was wrong on so many levels, how does anyone think other children won't follow in line with the abuse.  

How to Deal With Bullying Teachers

No one likes a bullying adolescent, but bullying teachers are more difficult to deal with. A bullying teacher should be handled by a parent who can contact the proper authorities such as the principal and then the school board if necessary.

Instructions on how to deal with bullying teachers: 

 

1. Read the school handbook thoroughly to find school policies about bullying and to find out who should be contacted. The handbook is usually given out at the start of the school year and the parent is usually required to sign it after reading it.
2. Create a relationship with your child's teacher by offering to volunteer in class. A bullying teacher will not want another adult to see this type of behavior.
3. Find out if your child is being bullied by a teacher by talking to them often about the school day. Because teacher bullying is often unreported you may have to look for other signs, such as negative behavior in and out of school and a loss of interest in school. Other signs include frequent headaches and illnesses that prevent the child from attending school and complaints about being yelled at, humiliated or being picked on in front of the class.
4. Report every instance of bullying to the school's principal. Request a meeting to speak about the issues that have come to your attention and request that the teacher who is accused of bullying be there. Listen to all sides of the story and keep documentation of the meeting and the outcome. This is a paper trail that you may need later if you have to report the bullying to the school board.
5. Request that your child's teacher be changed if bullying continues. Make a written request that the student have another teacher and include the documentation of each bullying incident. Send this to the school's principal, vice principal and the school board members.

Tips:

Visit your child's school and join the PTA to show you are actively involved in your child's school and education. If confronted with a bullying teacher, always keep your calm and be polite when talking to the school's authorities.

 

4 Ways to Stop a Child From Bullying

Every child experiences teasing from peers or siblings from time to time. But when that teasing turns to taunting, becomes relentless or results in physical violence, it is bullying. Bullying is a serious problem for kids of all ages. Most kids are afraid to tell their parents if they are bullied for fear of retribution from the bully. If your child is being bullied, there are steps you can take to help him/her cope with it and to stop the bully from bullying your child.

4 ways to stop bullying:

1. Listen to your child when he tells you about his experiences with the bully. Ask him questions in order to determine when the bullying happens, how it happens, and if anyone else might have witnessed it. Encourage your child by letting him know that you support him; never criticize him or make him feel responsible in some way for the bullying. Gather as much information about the bully and the bullying as you can so that you will be well-prepared to help make it stop.
2. Contact an official at your child's school. If the bullying happens in a classroom, start with your son's teacher. If the bullying occurs in other areas of the school, call a school counselor, assistant principal or principal. Try to keep your emotional reaction to the bullying out of your conversation with this person. Do not make judgments about the boy who is bullying your son; simply report the bullying and give as many factual details as you can about when and where the bullying takes place.
3. Follow up. Do not assume that one phone call to the school will be sufficient. Continue to talk to your child about the bullying to find out if he has any more encounters with the bully. If the other boy continues to bully your son, call the school again and explain that you expect them to take steps to stop this from happening.
4. If your child's safety seems to be in danger because of the bully, contact the legal authorities. Now, many states have bullying laws put into effect. The police or other authorities might be able to help you and your child deal with the bullying in a legal fashion.

Tips: 
Resist the temptation to contact the bully's parents directly. This could make the situation worse; it is best to let the school contact them instead. Then if you really want to meet with them, a school official might be able to mediate such a meeting. Never encourage your child to fight the bully. This only escalates the severity of the situation.

How to Deal With Adult Emotional Bullies

We're all grown up now, aren't we?

The word "bullying" conjures up images of the big kid pushing around the little kid on the playground and taking his lunch. Unfortunately, adults bully too. Although adult bullying also may be physical, it often appears in the more insidious form of emotional bullying. An emotional bully psychologically attacks you through actions including threatening, mocking, embarrassing and ignoring you. There are multiple steps that you can take to disarm an adult emotional bully.

• Ignore the bully. Bullies are trying to dominate and gain power. By choosing not to engage with their emotional abuse, you take away the opportunity for them to gain more power. You may either pretend you did not hear them or choose to leave the room. Because you are not rewarding your bully with a reaction, you may even find more positive behavior coming from the bully. Ignoring someone who is purposefully trying to invoke anger, rage and tears can be very emotionally difficult, so you may need to take more drastic measures.
• Use humor to deflect the situation. Many times adult emotional bullies use tactics such as sarcasm, name-calling or incessant teasing to put you down. If you are skilled at thinking on your feet, consider a sarcastic or witty comeback. Using self-deprecating humor or putting yourself down before the bully can come up with an insult also takes away his power.
• Directly confront your bully. Be assertive and confidently speak to your bully while looking her in the eye and firmly telling her, "Stop teasing me or mocking me." You also may share your feelings with your bully at this time by using "I" statements. For example, "I want you to quit mocking me" or "I feel disrespected when you ignore me." It is important to remember that bullies bully because of their own anger and insecurity issues. You may not get a response but do not take it personally. She most likely interacts this way with many others.
• Enlist outside help. If you have tried all other angles, it is necessary to ask someone to help you with the bully. If you are being emotionally abused at the workplace, talk to your supervisor or another authority figure. If you are being bullied by an acquaintance, ask your friends to support you. Make social plans that exclude the bully or force him to engage in a positive manner.

Tips:

If you must report adult emotional bullying in the workplace, be sure to keep a journal before going to your supervisor or boss. Record the dates, times and specifics of each bullying incident so you are armed with solid facts with which your bully cannot argue. If you choose to verbally engage with your bully, be careful of erratic behavior that may turn dangerous.

 

 


 

Beyond the School Yard!

The book, Bullying Beyond the Schoolyard, is very informative!

I came across this book called Bullying Beyond the Schoolyard by Dr. Sameer Hinduja and Justin W. Patchin, Ph.D.  At first, I was a little leery about the book because I felt that it may just be another story about bullying with limited information. I was really looking for a book about bullying that truly provided me with insightful facts that would help me.

This book is divided into seven chapters that provide a concise analysis and summary of the current state of knowledge regarding cyberbullying. The first half of the book engages in such matters as the explosive nationwide growth of teen Internet activities, how cyberbullying is different from other instances of bullying, and the debilitating effects cyberbullying can have on youngsters. The authors' first-hand research on cyberbullying, outlined in Chapters 3 and 4, is compelling. In the largest project of its kind, Hinduja and Patchin conducted a survey of student online behavior among 2,000 middle-school children randomly selected from one of the largest school districts in the United States. They found that 17.3 % had been cyberbullied at least once in their lifetime, 17.6% admitted to cyberbullying others at some point in their lifetime, and 12% reported being both a victim and perpetrator of cyberbullying. The authors also discuss the findings of a study they conducted on how teens are representing themselves and interacting with others on Internet social networking sites. Aside from their own path-breaking research, Hinduja and Patchin draw together in a clear and meaningful way the current research on youth centered correlates of cyberbullying such as age, gender, and race. They also meld personal stories of cyberbully victims with a detailed examination of the motivations of youth who cyberbully and the communication media they use to harass victims.
 

The second half of the book is extremely thorough in providing an overview of legal issues confronting school officials in responding to cyberbullying incidents as well as offering practical suggestions to educators for putting anti-cyberbullying rules in place in the school setting. Hinduja and Patchin skillfully examine current legislative measures states are adopting to curb cyberbullying and discuss shifting case law interpretations of the right of school officials to restrict student speech or behavior and to control what students do off campus. They present this material in a clear, non-technical manner, avoiding the use of specialized legal terms. To their credit, the authors offer a succinct breakdown of the essential components of a comprehensive cyberbullying policy for school districts. The treatment of this subject is a good example of the clearness and thoroughness of the book. As with earlier chapters, the authors support their writing with ample scholarly citations (over 228 citations). A rich resource section at the end of the book contains a wide range of helpful exercises and practical information for educators, parents, and youths on preventing and responding to cyberbullying, including tools and strategies for helping children who are targets of cyberbullying.

In sum, this book delivers on its title by providing a comprehensive pathway for understanding a new form bullying unlike the usual school yard variety. It is a scholarly work that is engaging, passionately written, and well documented. Each chapter is clear and concise and one can easily envision this book as a master reference text for researchers, educators, law enforcement professionals, and parents who are concerned with bullying through the use of technology. It represents an innovative work by two gifted scholars.

A Rite of Passage

 

What would you call a kick to the backside that catapults a ten-year-old boy across the classroom? Normal? What about a twelve-year-old snipping off the ponytail of her unsuspecting ex-best friend? All in good fun? Or what if a handicapped boy was being repeatedly ridiculed by a group of his classmates? Would you call it kids' play?

Unfortunately, these types of rite-of-passage behaviors are occurring day in and day out in schools across the country. And with approximately 30 percent of kids engaged in bullying or being bullied, there is a real chance your child could be among them.

And even if your child is one of the lucky ones and isn't a target of verbal aggression, physical assault, or peer rejection, your child will undoubtedly witness (as 70 percent of children do) many such events throughout his years in school. Bullying is a serious problem; one that can, and does, affect every student. Bullied kids may suffer anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and academic difficulties.

In the long term, kids who bully are at higher risk of depression and relational issues, and have higher rates of adult criminal behavior. And bystanders who witness bullying behavior feel ill equipped to intervene, and yet feel guilty for not helping.

Picture this: your child comes home from school with a black eye and a bruised lip. Would you dismiss it by saying, “Don't worry about it, kiddo. Everyone goes through it”? Probably not; you would be dialing the principal before you even grabbed an ice pack out of the freezer.


Below a film is displayed with an anti-bullying message. One of the stars of this film is Alex Libby. He used to be bullied. But Alex is now being presented as a confident teenager with high self-esteem. This video serves as a preview to “The Bully Effect.” It was added to the CNN website on February 25, 2013.

Libby gives speeches in various places as a part of an anti-bullying program. You can see him giving a portion of one of his speeches in this preview clip. He says a lot of shy kids are afraid of being themselves because they fear getting bullied. But what he learned is that that is the bully’s problem, not his.

Three years earlier, he was in a different documentary called “Bully.” Alex was relentlessly bullied at that time. Some of this was caught on camera, and you can also see portions of that doc in this CNN video. He said he pretty much lost all feeling and interest in life at that time except depression.

 

It is heartbreaking to hear and see Alex's story. His life is a rude awakening of the cruelty of kids and yet not enough seems to be done. Somehow, a large percentage of the population continues to downplay and discount the seriousness of the bullying problem. Stripped of all the misconceptions— "it's harmless," misrepresentations — "it's just a little roughhousing," and excuses — "it's hard to tell what's really happening between kids on the playground," bullying is still abuse. Just because the violence happens between children doesn't make it any less serious. In fact, it can make it more so because of a child's developing sense of self.

All of this is happening in the one place (besides your home) that your children should feel safe; in the hallowed halls of school, where your child should be focused on growing and learning and socializing with his peers. He shouldn't be worried about when he will get the next sucker punch or wedgie ripper. Also, he shouldn't have to worry about being attacked in the bathroom or stuffed in a locker. Ultimately, he shouldn't have to worry about being in school—at all. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The More You Know !

Young people say that bullying is one of the biggest problems they face. In fact, there have been many students that report seeing bullying at least once a week. This negatively affects the victims and the bullies as well as the kids who witness bullying and the school environment as a whole. 

Information from Wikipedia on School Bullying is shown below: 
 

Statistics

Bullying is a common occurrence in most schools. According to the American Psychological Association, approximately "40% to 80% of school-age children experience bullying at some point during their school careers".^[16] Regardless of the grade level, socioeconomic environment, gender, religion, or sexual orientation, bullying can happen to anyone. However, various studies point out that students from lower socio-economic backgrounds are more bullied than students from higher socio-economic backgrounds.^[17] Most children experience bullying at some point in their academic careers. The following is a list of statistics that illustrate the severity of bullying within classrooms:^[16]

• 20–40% of bullying victims actually report being bullied
• 70% of middle school and high school students experience bullying in school
• 7–12% of bullies are habitual and pose a serious threat
• 23% of 9th graders have carried a weapon to school recently^[18]
• 5–15% of students are constantly bullied
• 27% of students are bullied because of their refusal to engage in common sexual practices
• 25% of students encourage bullying if not given proper education and support in anti-bullying techniques^[19]

This was a survey conducted by the NICHD where a results on what student did in a school. "The children were asked to complete a questionnaire during a class period that asked how often they either bullied other students, or were the target of bullying behavior. A total of 10.6 percent of the children replied that they had 'sometimes' bullied other children, a response category defined as 'moderate' bullying. An additional 8.8 percent said they had bullied others once a week or more, defined as 'frequent' bullying. Similarly, 8.5 percent said they had been targets of moderate bullying, and 8.4 percent said they were bullied frequently. Out of all the students, 13 percent said they had engaged in moderate or frequent bullying of others, while 10.6 percent said they had been bullied either moderately or frequently. Some students-6.3 percent-had both bullied others and been bullied themselves. In all, 29 percent of the students who responded to the survey had been involved in some aspect of bullying, either as a bully, as the target of bullying, or both." ^[20] According to Tara Kuther, associate professor of psychology at Western Connecticut State University, "...bullying gets so much more sophisticated and subtle in high school. It's more relational. It becomes more difficult for teens to know when to intervene, whereas with younger kids bullying is more physical and therefore more clear cut".^[19]
Because of the low numbers of students who actually report incidents of bullying, teachers need to have a certain level of awareness that will thwart any potential problems. This awareness starts with understanding bullying.

Although this section of the topic "School Bullying" is informative, it does not give a substantial amount of facts for the statistics of bullying. The association that conducted the survey is listed but we don't know when it was orchestrated. I also felt that the statistics section could have been elaborated upon with more details of recent studies.  
 
Below is the revised section of the Wiki with the recommendations mentioned above:
 
          Statistics

2000

In 2000 a survey by the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire found that 6% of the young people had experienced some kind of harassment such as threats or horrible rumours and 2% suffered from distressing abuse.

2004

ABC News reported on a 2004 survey, in September 2006, of 1,500 students between the grades 4 through 8 which displayed :

• 42% of kids have been bullied online. One in four have had it happen more than once.
• 35% of kids have been threatened online. About one in five had it happen more than once.
• 21% of kids received harrassing e-mails.
• 58% of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online. More than four out of ten say it has happened more than once.
• 58% have not told their parents or an adult about the harrassment ocurring to them online.

2005

The Youth Internet Safety Survey-2, conducted by the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire in 2005, found:

•  9% of the young people in the survey had experienced some form of harassment.The survey was a nationally representative telephone survey of 1,500 youths between the ages of  10 to 17 years old.  

• One third reported feeling distressed by the incident, with distress being more likely for younger respondents and those who were the victims of aggressive harassment.

Hinduja and Patchin completed a study in the summer of 2005 of approximately 1,500 internet-using adolescents and found:

• over one-third of youths reported being victimized online.  

•  over 16% of respondents admitted to cyber-bullying others.

          While most of the instances of cyber-bullying involved relatively minor behavior it
          was found:

•  41% were disrespected.

• 19% were called names.

• over 12% were physically threatened.

• about 5% were scared for their safety.

          Notably, fewer than 15% of victims told an adult about the incident.

According to a 2005 survey by the National Children's Home charity and Tesco Mobile of 770 youths between the ages of 11 and 19 found:

• 20% of respondents revealed that they had been bullied via electronic means.

• Almost three-quarters (73%) stated that they knew the bully.

• 26% stated that the offender was a stranger.  

• 10% of responders indicated that another person has taken a picture and/or video of them via a cellular phone camera.  

2007

In 2007,  a Stanford University student,Debbie Heimowitz, created a film based on Stanford accredited research called Adina's Deck. She worked for ten weeks in three schools to learn about the problem of cyber-bullying in Northern California. The findings determined that over 60% of students had been cyber-bullied and were victims of cyber-bullying. The film is now being used in classrooms nationwide as it was designed around learning goals pertaining to problems that students had understanding the topic.

Additional research by Hinduja and Patchin in 2007 found that youths who report being victims of cyber-bullying also experience stress that is related to other problematic behaviors such as running away from home, drinking alcohol, or using drugs. The authors acknowledge that both of these studies provide only preliminary information about the nature and consequences of online bullying, due to the methodological challenges associated with an online survey.

 

2008

In 2008, researchers Sameer Hinduja (Florida Atlantic University) and Justin Patchin (University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire) published a book on cyber-bullying that summarized the current state of cyber-bullying research. (Bullying Beyond the Schoolyard: Preventing and Responding to Cyberbullying). Their research documents that cyber-bullying instances have been increasing over the last several years. They also report findings from the most recent study of cyber-bullying among middle-school students. Using a random sample of approximately 2000 middle-school students from a large school district in the southern United States they found:

• about 10% of respondents had been cyber-bullied in the previous 30 days. 

• while over 17% reported being cyber-bullied at least once in their lifetime.  

While these rates are slightly lower than some of the findings from their previous research, Hinduja and Patchin point out that the earlier studies were predominantly conducted among older adolescents and internet samples. That is, older youths use the internet more frequently and are more likely to experience cyber-bullying than younger children.

2011

The National Crime Prevention Council reported in 2011 that cyber-bullying is a problem that affects almost half of all American teens.

 All of the information was found on the psychology wiki site. I found that the previous statistic section of the topic on school bullying was presented rather poorly because the statistics presented were construed from one specific school in an unidentified socio-economic area. The survey here is inconclusive because it is basically flawed. For example, if this survey was more inclusive of other schools the results may have been different. Rather than just one school, there should be more schools in the same geographical area surveyed. In my opinion, with three independent surveys from a public school, parochial school, and charter school the results may be different.

My revised statistics section provides detailed information of the bullying incidents listed chronologically starting from the year 2000 through 2011. This gives the readers an unobstructed view of the trend in our society. These statistics shows clearly a steady rise of the bullying incidents, whereas the previous wiki did not provide enough data to display this continuous growth throughout the years. Also, the statistics now displayed are not solely based on a single school, rather the statistics are based on a number of schools throughout many years.

Based on the bullying statistics found, that cyber bullying is on the rise more so than any other type of bullying. Many students report seeing this type of bullying in chat rooms, social networking websites like Facebook. Also, other bullying studies revealed that bullies in school use one's gender, race, socioeconomic status as well as sexual preference as a motive to harass someone. Many of these students are forced to deal with bullying not only at school but also have it follow them home. For they have to also deal with being cyber bullied on the Internet. While this isn't always a school-related issue, many schools are trying to cease the act of cyber bullying from occurring at school by limiting computer time and prohibiting many of the social websites used to spread false information.

Because of the wide-spread amount of bullying, it is more important than ever for parents and teachers to check in with children about bullying. Many students might be afraid to tell an adult or parent, which is why parents and teachers need to be aware of the signs of bullying and to pay attention to what is going on with their child or student. Another way to help lower the bullying statistics is to have open communication. Students and children should be encouraged to tell a trusted adult, parent or teacher about any kind of bullying attack. It is the best way to help stop the situation from getting worse and to help prevent bullying from targeting any more victims.   

TAKE A STAND

An Anti-Bullying Fundraiser

According to News 12 of the Bronx, yesterday, there was a fundraiser held for the New York Arts Foundation in honor of Amanda Cummings. Tragically, Amanda Cummings’ life ended at the tender age of 15, when she stepped in front of a bus and died last year. It has been found that the endless harassments and other acts of bullying drove this young girl to her death.

                                   Amanda Cummings

                        Anti-bullying Fundraiser



Another victim, Jamie Issac, 17 years old, decided to empower herself and take a stand against bullying. Jamie’s vision is simple. She wants to be the voice for all victims of bullying who do not have a voice. Jamie is a survivor of over 6 years of intense bullying. Jamie helped write and pass the Suffolk County Cyber-Bullying Law and is currently working with Nassau County legislator Kevan Abrahams to help write and pass the same law in Nassau. Jamie is also working with State Senator Jeff Klein on the passing of the NYS Cyber-Bullying Law that will hold a punishment of 15 years in prison if convicted of Cyber-Bullying someone to death. Her courageous effort and determination to get a stricter law passed against bullying is inspiring.


What does the new state law require?

The new state law requires schools to report bullying and cyberbullying to police whether it happens on school grounds or off campus.



When is the law put into effect? 

The state law is effective starting July 1, 2013.

We are definitely taking one big step for humankind. There needs to be an end to all this madness. I see this as being a great first step.

Sticks and Stones

 

 I find myself struggling tremendously with the book Sticks And Stones, written by Emily Bazelon, which has received quite good reviews.

One thing that is quite confusing is the "great equalizing" of bully and bullied. Yes, I imagine many bullies are depressed themselves, and I'm sure many are also suffering from other issues. But the notion that a bully and a bullied child suffer equally is simply wrong. A bullied child learns fear, dreads school, comes to believe that no one can help, and often becomes socially withdrawn. The fact that a bullied child may recover from this (which Bazelon seems to suggest) is nice, but why (in a society where every kid has to win a trophy and every child has to have an equal part in a school play) is protecting children from bullies that one thing that seems to make so many people talk about "equalization?"

Moreover, I found Bazelon's notion that most buillies "grow out of it naturally" is completely wrong. Not sure how many workplaces she's been in, but there are always plenty of grown-up bullies on display. Did they just suddenly decide to become bullies for their 30th or 40th birthday? Probably not -- they probably learned many lessons of intimidation on the playground.

While I was student teaching, I found many cases of bullying and the teacher held meetings with parents of bullies, and 80% of time those parents said one of two things: "My child is not a bully" (no matter how many notes or proof a teacher offered) or, much sadder, "I know he is a bully but I have no control over him." The idea that parents are not involved in how their children grow is bizarre, and unless a parent of a bully steps in to assist in guiding his or her child, school alone simply cannot help.

But the hypothesis that is truly unsettling to me is the idea that children should not be protected from the bullies, so they can develop "problem solving skills." Throughout history, there have always been people who have suggested that the only way to deal with a bully is to actually punch them out in public, but other than beating up your bully, exactly how is a child supposed to "problem solve" a bully away? If parents or schools can't stop the bully, and the bully will not stop himself or herself, how exactly is the bullied child supposed to do it?



 

One thing I do agree with: the idea of "mediation" -- putting the bullied and the bully together to try to talk it out -- is absurb. Again, why is the bullied child forced to carry so much of this burden? Why can't more be done to stop bullying and phase it out of school life?

Bazelon's book is readable and has some interesting insights, but I'm just terribly uncomfortable with some of her research.

 

ATTACK OF THE SCHOOL YARD BULLIES

KIDS WILL BE KIDS

What has the world come to?



The modern day notion of "Kids will be kids" truly knocks me off my feet. This is the beginning of the battle grounds for bullying. I am a single mother who has been fighting for my daughter’s right to attend school in a safe environment for the last 5 yrs. I can't tell you how sick it makes me feel to hear those words "kids will be kids". Its a cop out.

My daughter is ten years old and for someone who is so young, she has been through so much. The very first bullying incident that she was subjected to was when she was five years old in kindergarten. (The first of the many.). It started with one girl who verbally abused her and continued on for the next few years. As a parent we want to teach our children to stand up for themselves and learn how to handle different situations. So my first reaction, was to tell my daughter that she should answer the girl back and not let her get away with it. If all fails tell a teacher. This was my advice.

Needless to say, the bullying only got worse. On top of verbal abuse there was physical abuse by the kids. It's funny how life is, for it's bad enough that there was just the one girl but now we had a group of girls constantly abusing my daughter.  The one girl who began bullying my daughter ended up gathering more girls together to join in on the fun. Surprisingly, the administrative staff also played a part in the bullying on to my daughter and myself as well.

The situation was a mess. I was in the principal's office every single day. My daughter didn't have the confidence to tell the staff what was going on because they made her feel uncomfortable and always sided with the bullies. It seemed like the kids were running the school. Nothing was done for the first four years. Everything just got swept under a rug. No OORS reports were ever made by the school. No investigations were ever conducted. All they gave me was lip service. I even approached the parents and they too fed me nonsense of how sorry they were. The fact was that nothing was being done to stop the children's behavior to my daughter. Third grade was probably one of the worst years. It was happening every single day. The kids would always either hit her or harass her verbally when she was alone. The principal liked to call this the gray area. Since no one else was around to see it, there was nothing he could do. Her teacher at that time even instigated a fight between my daughter and one of the bullies.


  
                          





Can you imagine this?

A teacher telling a child that she should not be friends with another child. It's unbelievable, but it happened and the teacher admitted it to me. Even the assistant principal verbally harassed my daughter at school. One day she screamed at her in the morning, after I dropped her off , and sent her home to change shoes. My daughter was terrified. As I'm driving off, I see my nine year old daughter crying and running out of the building. Anything could have happened to her! Once a child is in school, they are responsible for the safety of that child.

Just in case you wanted to know:

There were no repercussions for the teacher's or the assistant principal's abusive actions. After I complained to the principal, I followed up with him regarding both incidents and all he said was that he talked with them.

It was very hard to get him to take action. He was so concerned with the fact that they were little girls. I went all the way to the top of the chain and contacted the superintendent. I informed her about the bullying incidents and the principal's incapability to put an end to the children's behavior for the past four years. I also let her know that one of the assistant principal's also expressed that his HANDS WERE TIED AND THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO.

I felt that the administrative staff of the school was bullying me. It was not the school's finest hour. In the end the bullies were finally removed from the class.

This was no easy task and I always told my daughter that she was not alone. I stood by my daughter every step of the way, never faltering, and fought against what seemed to be a never ending nightmare.

Advice:

My advice to anyone in this type of situation is to always keep a log of everything that goes on. Keep track of names, dates, and incidents. This is your proof!

Remember:

Upon receiving a complaint, the school must issue OORS reports and conduct investigations as required by the Chancellor's Regs. Please tell someone about what is going on, for you do not have to deal with this on your own. Life will not always be like this.

FACTS REVEALED ABOUT BULLYING

Please read:
 

The facts on bullying reveal  that it is a growing problem among teens and children.
As seen by two sources of federally collected data on youth bullying:       

• The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System of 2011 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that, 20% of students, nationally, in grades 9–12 experienced bullying.

• The School Crime Supplement  2008–2009 from the National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice Statistics shows that 28% of students, nationwide, in grades 6–12 experienced bullying.

Bullying can happen anywhere. Many children and teens are regular victims of bullying, which can lead to serious emotional scarring and problems with the victim's self-esteem and self-image. Correcting these behaviors before they start or get out of hand are important for parents and educators to keep in mind.


What are some types of bullying?

According to a governmental organization called Respect For All in nyc there are different types of bullying:

• Verbal. This type of bullying usually involves name calling and or teasing
• Social. Spreading rumors, intentionally leaving others out of activities on purpose, breaking up friendships are all examples of social bullying.
• Physical. This traditional form of bullying involves hitting, punching, shoving and other acts of intention physical harm.
• Cyberbullying. This method of bullying involves using the Internet, texting, email and other digital technologies to harm others.

I found this website: http://www.stopbullying.gov/what-is-bullying/definition/index.html#types  that provided me with a lot of information about bullying.  This was very insightful! 

More Facts on bullying:

• Imbalance of power. Typically those who engage in bully-like behaviors use their strength, popularity or power to harm, control or manipulate others. They will usually target those who are weaker in size or may have a difficult time defending themselves.
• Intent to cause harm. A bully is a person who does not do things by accident. The bully intends to physically or emotionally injure a person or group of persons.
• Repetition. Typically incidents of bullying are not a one-time thing. Bullies target the same person or group over and over again.

It is important for parents to discuss the facts on bullying with their children to help teach them how to watch out for bullying and to avoid being bullied.


Are there any typical signs depicted in victims?

There are several signs parents can look for when evaluating if your child is a victim of bullying.

• Comes home with unexplained injuries or with damaged or missing clothing or other belongings
• Has change in eating habits
• Makes excuses not to go to school
• Has fewer friends
• Feels helpless
• Talks about suicide
• Acts out of character
• Avoids certain places or playing outside alone
• Feels like they are not good enough
• Has trouble sleeping
• Blames themselves for their problems

What are the warning signs of those who are bullying others?

The facts on bullying also provide information on what types of signs to look for in children who might be bullying others.

• Becomes frequently violent
• Has trouble controlling anger
• Is manipulative and controlling of others and situations
• Is quick to blame others
• Does not accept responsibility for their actions
• Needs to win or be the best at everything

Understanding these warning signs can help parents prevent their children from becoming bullies or help them not become a victim of a bully. Counseling or therapy are good methods in helping to treat a child who exhibits symptoms of bullying. Children who are victims may also need some kind of support or counseling to help resolve underlying issues of emotional feelings of inadequacy. Children who are confident and have higher self-esteem are less likely to fall prey to the attacks of bullying.