bully presentation family_meeting_final
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BULLYINGPreventions and Responsibilities
Tonight’s focus• Defining bullying• Signs and signals of bullying• Statistics• Updated policies and laws• School responsibilities• CCE’s plan and interventions• Links for families & how you can help
What is bullying
?
Bullying is…Intentional, aggressive, and unwanted behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance.
The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time.
Types of Bullying
Verbal•Teasing•Taunting•Name-calling•Threatening•Inappropriate comments
Physical•Hitting, kicking, punching•Spitting•Tripping•Taking or breaking belongings•Rude gestures
Social•Leaving out of groups•Telling others to not be friends with someone•Spreading rumors•Embarrassing in public
Where does bullying happen?
• Hallway• Classroom• Cafeteria• Bathroom• Bus• Playground• Neighborhood• Online• Texts
Where does bullying happen most often?
• Hallway• Classroom• Cafeteria• Bathroom• Bus• Playground• Neighborhood• Online• Texts
Cyberbullying
• Growing trend among all grade levels of students
• Can be difficult to monitor
Possible forms of Cyber-bullying
• Emails• Texts• Instant messages• Chat rooms• Blogs• Social Networking (facebook, twitter)• Personal Websites
Warning signs of bullying victims
• Unexplainable injuries• Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewelry• Frequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling sick or faking
illness• Changes in eating habits, like suddenly skipping meals or binge
eating. • Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares• Declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork, or not wanting
to go to school• Sudden loss of friends or avoidance of social situations• Feelings of helplessness or decreased self esteem• Self-destructive behaviors such as running away from home,
harming themselves, or talking about suicide
How many children are bullied?
• 20% of high school students were bullied on school property at least once in the previous 12 months (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009)
• •28% of students ages 12-18 were bullied at school during the 2008/2009 school year
(National Center for Educational Statistics, 2011)
How are children bullied?Forms of bullying at school (NCES, 2011)
• 19% made fun of, called names, or insulted• 17% subject of rumors• 9% pushed, shoved, tripped, spit on• 6% threatened with harm• 5% excluded from activities on purpose• 4% forced to do things they didn’t want to do• 3% had property destroyed• 6% of students ages 12-18 had been cyberbullied
(anywhere)
Children are more likely to be bullied in elementary than in any other school level.
(NCVS, 2009)
Boys vs. Girls
• There are not vast differences in the percentages of boys and girls who are bullied
• Boys are typically bullied by boys; girls are bullied by boys and girls
• Most studies find that boys are more likely than girls to bully their peers. – On average, boys
are:1.7x as likely to bully– 2.5x as likely to bully and
also be bullied (bully-victims)
(NCES, 2009)
Likelihood to report bullying:
Cyberbullying Stats
• 42% of students in grades 6-8 report being bullied online
• Cyberbullying incidences nearly doubles every year
• Girls are twice as likely to engage• 62% of those bullied are bullied by students at
their school
NC Laws and I-SS Policies
As defined by NC Law:
• “Bullying or harassing behavior is any pattern of gestures or written, electronic, or verbal communications, OR any physical act OR an threatening communication that takes place on school property , at any school-sponsored function, or on a school bus
AND THAT:
• Places a student or school employee in actual and reasonable fear of harm to his or her person OR damage to his or her property
OR
• Creates or is certain to create a hostile environment by substantially interfering with or impairing a students educational performance, opportunities or benefits
What is a hostile environment?
• Hostile environment= victim SUBJECTIVELY views the conduct as bullying or harassing behavior
AND:
• The conduct is objectively severe or pervasive enough that a reasonable person would agree that it is bullying or harassing behavior
NC Law cont…
• Bullying or harassment behavior includes, but is not limited to, acts reasonably perceived as being motivated by actual or perceived differentiating characteristics such as:– Race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin,
gender, socioeconomic status, academic status, gender identity, physical appearance, sexual orientation, disability
– An association with a person who has or is perceived to have one or more of these characteristic
Students’ Criminal Liability for cyber-bullying
• G.S14-458.1 – makes it a crime to use a computer to do any of the following “with intent to intimidate or torment a minor”– Create fake websites/profiles– Post or encourage others to post specific info on a minor– Post a real or doctored image of a minor– Access password protected computer data– Send repeated emails– Make a statement intended to provoke someone else to
stalk or harass– Sign up a minor for pornography or junk email
Senate Bill 707 – School Violence Prevention Act
• Makes it criminal for a student to use a computer to do any of the following “with intent to intimidate or torment a school employee”– Create fake websites/profiles– Post or encourage others to post specific info on an
employee– Post a real or doctored image of an employee– Access password protected computer data– Send repeated emails– Make a statement intended to provoke someone else to
stalk or harass an employee– Sign up an employee for pornography or junk email
Reporting a bullying incident
• Students should report bullying• Teachers and school personnel must report
bullying– Employees who have witnessed or has reliable
information that student or school employee has been subject to any act or bullying or harassing
behavior shall report the incident to an appropriate school official
Factors that influence reporting• Assumptions about child behavior based on
framework of developmental issues and individual issues
• Intervention based on perception of how upset child is
• The perception that adults don't act may lead students to conclude that adults don't care, or that there are different standards for adults' behavior than for young people's
• Kids often don’t report because they feel ashamed or powerless
Bystanders
• We want to create a culture of students who do not tolerate bullying of others
• Bystanders far out-number bullies• Celebrating bystanders reporting of bullying• “Not wanting to get involved” or “Didn’t want
to say anything,” can no longer be okay actions
I-SS School Board Bullying Policies
• Policy Code: 1710/4021/7230 Prohibition Against Discrimination, Harassment and Bullying
• Policy Code: 1510/4200/7270 School Safety
I-SS Goals• An integrated approach based on clear
expectations and consistent consequences• Followed up by counseling for perpetrators- clear,
directed, not just ‘talking to’• Support for Victims• EDUCATION for Silent Majority• Goal is to create culture in which adults stop all
bullying immediately• Students learn and become part of anti-bullying
solution• Distinguish between ‘ratting out’ or ‘snitching’
and bullying• Increased adult supervision and vigilance in
common areas Olweus, D. (1997)
CCE Goals and Interventions
Reporting and Interventions at Coddle Creek
• Bully birdhouses & Online survey• Ms. Campbell – reporting, counseling, in-class
sessions, student council• School norms and expectations - All• Mr. Foster & Mr. Boula – reporting, educating
staff, community, & students• Bully Prevention Plan - All
What happens when a report is filed (paper, electronic, or other)?
• Every report is taken seriously• Divided up depending on:– Who the child would like to talk to– Prior knowledge or incidences– Relationship with students
• Interview the victim and any other students who may have been witness or knowledge
• Interview with bully• Call parents or guardians
Bullying determination
• Most reports, luckily, are not bullying• Treated as a teaching moment – going over
what is bullying• Inform teacher of things to look for• Reports are kept and filed to have in case of a
possible reoccurrence • Discipline can range from ‘time out’ to out-of-
school suspension – at administration’s discretion
Some things not to do…
• Mediation and Conflict Resolution between Victim and Bully- assumes that participants on equal social footing
• Interviewing Bully and Victim together• Training Victim to ignore, be assertive- as only
response • Education alone - simple short term,
piecemeal approaches
How it’s working so far
• 3-7 bully reports a week on average (mostly in bully box)
• 10 offenses this year – accounts that were reported, investigated, and disciplined
• Many incidences that were reported were mediated prior to it being considered bullying – and those have not reoccurred
Is it Bullying?
Scenario 1• Edgar is in 4th grade and is much taller and heavier
than most of his peers. However, because he has a tremendous sense of humor, he is very popular and well-liked by most of his peers. One day during recess, during a game of dodge ball, Edgar trips on the ball and falls down. Steven, a 5th grader, yells, “Look at the beached whale on the playground!” and Steven and the other 5th graders with him laugh. Edgar turns red but picks himself up and starts to get ready to play again. Several of Edgar’s friends get angry and tell Steven and his friends to “shut up.” A shouting match ensues until a teacher comes over to break it up.
Scenario 2
• Kendra and Alexander are friends in 2nd grade together. One day during lunch, Alexander says to Kendra, “I know why you like chocolate milk so much!” Kendra asks, “Why?” and Alexander responds, “Because it keeps your skin brown!” Kendra looks at Alexander quizzically and says, “No it doesn’t!” Alexander says nothing and the two go on eating their lunch together. The next day Kendra’s mother calls the school outraged about what Alexander said to Kendra at lunch the day before.
Scenario 3• Cheryl, Candace, and Alicia are friends and in 4th
grade. Cheryl and Alicia live in a trailer park with their families. All three girls ride the school bus home in the afternoon. Amanda and Sarah, both 5th graders, also ride the same bus in the afternoon. During the fall, Amanda and Sarah start repeatedly calling Cheryl and Alicia “White trailer trash” and make fun of their clothes and belongings. One day, Candace, frustrated with the on-going treatment of her friends, shouts at Amanda and Sarah, “Why don’t you two stupid snobs shut up and leave Cheryl and Alicia alone!” Amanda gets up and hits Candace and says, “You shut up! You’re just a stupid 4th grader. Why do you hang out with those two trailer trash idiots anyway?” Several students and the bus driver witness this interaction.
WHAT SHOULD PARENTS AND GUARDIANS DO?
Take these steps to help:
• If you hear your child discussing what sounds like bullying, ask more about it.
• Report it to the teacher, administration, or go online and fill out the bully report.
• The more specific the better.• Talk to your children • Support them in reporting bullying and
standing up for others.
