What is bullying?

A very simple but clear definition of bullying is BOO:

Being MEAN.

On PURPOSE.

Over and OVER.

source: SEL video

Bullying is common.

Percent of U.S. high school students (grades 9-12) that report being bullied on school property.

19%

Boys

30%

Girls

19%

All Students

33%

LGB Students

Bullying in any form is cruel and hurtful.

Bullying is “exposing another person to either verbal or physical harm, or threatening to harm another person with the purpose of controlling the other person’s thoughts and/or actions.”3

Bullying creates an atmosphere of fear, anger, helplessness, and misery. It is related to a number of adverse and high risk health behaviors for all involved not only for the person demonstrating bullying behavior and the recipient of bullying behavior, but also witnesses to bullying behavior.

The numbers are unsettling.

Unfortunately, bullying is an all too common occurence in our schools: An instance of bullying occurs in a school every seven minutes and 20% to 30% of school-age children are either a victim or a bully.1 In fact, “aggressive behavior and bullying are even more common in elementary school than in junior and senior high” and is most prevalent in second grade.2

 

Standing up for yourself doesn’t have to mean embracing violence.

• • • • •

Shane Koyczan

Shane Koyczan is a Canadian spoken-word poet who is alternatively hilarious and haunting as he puts his finger on the pulse of what it’s like to be young and different. “To This Day ... for the bullied and beautiful” is a poem about bullying and survival. Watch his amazing TED talk performance (with backstory) and crowd-sourced by 80 animators. Violin accompaniment by Hannah Epperson.

 

Bully Basics

Learn what bullying is, what cyberbullying is, and what is the difference between bullying and rough play.

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Effects & Examples

Learn to identify if your child is involved by bullying. Use these examples from news accounts and be encouraged to pay attention and take action.

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Solutions & Resources

Following are some potential solutions and resources to help solve the bully problem. But the key point is to gather information, make a plan, adapt as necessary, and follow through with action.

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In The News
Recommended Resources
Fundraising Help

Cyberbullying: What School Administrators (and Parents) Can Do
by Andrew V. Beale and Kimberly R. Hall
The Clearing House (Vol. 81, No. 1) pp. 8-12. 2007.

Identifying and Documenting Bullying
by J.E. DiMarco and M.K. Newman
http://www.solutionsforbullying.com/files/BullySiteWhhtpap1.pdf

Bullies
by Laura DeHaan, , Ph.D.
February, 1997
http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/yf/famsci/fs570w.htm

Identifying: Yes it is Bullying!
by J.E. DiMarco and M.K. Newman
Solutions for Bullying
http://www.solutionsforbullying.com/Indentify.html

The Long Term Effects of Bullying
by Mark Dombeck, Ph.D.
MentalHealth.net Updated: July 24, 2007
http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=13057

11 Facts About Cyber Bullying
DoSomething.org
http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-cyber-bullying

Bullying and Teasing: No Laughing Matter
Education.com
http://www.scholastic.com/resources/article/bullying

Accusations of Bullying After Death of Teenager
by Matt Flegenheimer   |   The New York Times   |   January 3, 2012
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/04/nyregion/accusations-of-bullying-after-death-of-staten-island-teen.html

Granite Bay teen who committed suicide was bullied for being gay
by Cynthia Hubert   |   The Sacramento Bee.   |   January 15, 2012
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/01/15/4188596/granite-bay-teen-who-committed.html

Phoebe Prince bullies sentenced, but how do they make things right?
by Stacy Teicher Khadaroo   |   The Christian Science Monitor   |   May 5, 2011
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2011/0505/Phoebe-Prince-bullies-sentenced-but-how-do-they-make-things-right

Bullying in the Stateline: One Student’s Story
by Lauren Kravets   |   WIFR.com.   |   Aug 10, 2011
http://www.wifr.com/home/headlines/Bullying_in_the_Stateline_One_Middle_Schoolers_Story_127487743.html

Phoebe Prince’s Final Days: Bullied Girl Suffered ‘Intolerable’ Abuse Before Suicide, Say Court Docs
by Carlin DeGuerin Miller   |   CBS News.   |   April 9, 2010.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20002132-504083.html

Is My Child Being Bullied? Action Steps for Parents
by Mary L. Pulido, Ph.D.   |   The Huffington Post   |   January 12, 2012.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mary-l-pulido-phd/is-my-child-being-bullied_b_1199696.html

StopCyberbullying.org
http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/

Bullying Prevention Information: Resources for Schools
by Warren Throckmorton, PhD (2005)
http://www.drthrockmorton.com/respectandthefacts/documents/bullyingprevention.pdf

Teasing and Bullying: No Laughing Matter: What you must know –
even if you don’t think it affects your child

by Townsend-Butterworth   |   Scholastic Parents
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=1438

Coming soon...

Essential Strategies for Bullyproofing Your Child This School Year
by Signe Whitson, L.S.W.   |   Psychology Today   |   September 15, 2011
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/passive-aggressive-diaries/201109/essential-strategies-bullyproofing-your-child-school-year