Bullying: It can be stopped

1. Bullying:It can be stopped Adopted from a presentation by Barbara H. Carlton Drug & Violence Prevention Specialist Western M.S. and Turrentine M.S.

2. Bullying = when one or more people repeatedly harm, harass, intimidate, or exclude others. Bullying is unfair and one sided. Olweus

4. Handled differently from typical disciplinary matters • Not normal peer conflict • Power differential • Difficult to seek help from adults • Bullied child might even deny any abuse has taken place

5. Circle of bullying D. Passive Supporters C. Supporters E. Disengaged Onlookers F. Possible Defenders B. Followers/henchmen H. Person who is being bullied A. Student who bullies G. Defenders

6. Legal School Violence Prevention Act SL09-212 State Board of Education policy HRS-A-007 • By December 31, 2009 • LEAs shall adopt a policy • prohibiting bullying or harassing behavior • Defined as: • Gestures, written, electronic, or verbal communications • Physical act or threatening communication • -places a student or school employee in actual or REASONABLE fear of harm to self or property or • - creates or is certain to create a hostile environment • - interferes with student’s education performance, opportunity, or benefit.

7. School Violence Prevention ActSL09-212 • Bullying or harassing behavior includes: • Acts reasonably perceived as being motivated by • Race • Color • Religion • National origin • Gender • Socioeconomic Status • Academic Status • Gender Identity • Physical Appearance • Sexual Orientation • Mental, Physical, Developmental or Sensory Disability or • Association with a Person who has or is PERCEIVED to have one or any of the above characteristics

8. School Violence Prevention Policy Guidelines • STATEMENT PROHIBITING BULLYING OR HARASSING BEHAVIOR • EXPECTED BEHAVIOR FOR EACH STUDENT AND SCHOOL EMPLOYEE • CONSEQUENCES AND APPROPRIATE REMEDIAL ACTION • ANONYMOUS REPORTING PROCEDURES • PROCEDURE FOR PROMPT INVESTIGATION OF REPORTS • STATEMENTS THAT PROHIBITS REPRISAL OR RETALIATION FOR REPORTING • STATEMENT ON HOW POLICY IS TO BE DISSEMINATED & PUBLICIZED INCLUDING APPLICATION AT SCHOOL-SPONSORED EVENTS

9. School Violence Prevention Policy Guidelines By March 1, 2010 Provide training on the local policy to school employees and volunteers who have contact with students Develop and implement strategies for promoting school environments that are free from bullying or harassing behavior

10. Rule 10: Bullying and Harassment Students shall not engage in bullying or harassment of other students. Bullying repeated intimidation of others - real or threatened physical, verbal, written, electronically transmitted or emotional abuse attacks on the property of another implied or stated threats exclusion from peer groups. Harassment actions that interfere with a student’s ability to participate/ benefit from an educational program or activity Retaliation is prohibited. ABSS Code of Conduct 2012-13

11. 60% of people who were considered bullies in grade 6-9 are convicted of at least one crime by the time they turn 24.

12. “A human being who lives day-to-day having to continuously ‘energize his shields’ for protection, has little remaining energy to direct toward positive endeavors, such as schoolwork, meaningful classroom participation or healthy peer-adult interaction.” -Rico Racosky

13. What can we do? A bystander is anyone who is aware that bullying is happening. You are either part of the problem or part of the solution.

15. Range of Bystander Actions Confront the one who is bullying others Don’t Support the One Bullying Others Choose not to repeat gossip Become friends with the one being bullied Support the one being bullied in private Support the one being bullied in front of the one doing the bullying Talk to the person bullying others privately Tell an adult Low Risk/Low Courage High Risk/High Courage Coach Bystanders with these steps: 1. Encourage students to help the bullied child by walking with them to class. 2. Invite the bullied student to get involved with other students. 3. Model confidence and talk about what it looks and feels like.

16. Empathy (skill not a feeling) v. Sympathy (feeling of pity) Help students increase others’ importance/value. • Provide opportunities to discover similar experiences and ways they are alike.

17. PRIDE 2013

18. Coach Children Separately • to Build New Behavior Patterns

19. 10 strategies for effective bullying prevention Clearly establish, communicate & enforce school rules & policies related to bullying. Increase adult supervision in the “hot spots” for bullying Gain commitment to intervene consistently & appropriately in bullying situations Gain commitment for focus time; class time on bullying prevention Don’t quit…continue the efforts over time. • Focus on School Environment • Assess bullying in your school • Gain support from staff and parents • Establish a bullying prevention team • Train staff in bullying prevention and to understand the difference between normal peer conflict and bullying

20. Students who feel connected are less likely to… • bully or harass others. • use alcohol and illegaldrugs. • engage in violent or deviant behavior. • get pregnant. • experience emotional distress. • engage and be success in school AND life!

21. References • Cartoon Network, The Bully Effect, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d1_ZKlLR98 • Dateline NBC “My Kid Would Never…Bully” Video Links Now Available; http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032600/#41928090, web search 7/17/2013 • Edstrom, L. V., Hirschstein, M. K., Frey, K. S., Snell, J. L., and MacKenzie, E. P. (2004). "Classroom Level Influences in School-Based Bullying Prevention: Key Program Components and Implications for Instruction." In K. S. Frey (Chair), Policy to Action: Bullying Prevention in the Real World. Symposium conducted at the annual meeting of the Society for Prevention Research, Quebec City, PQ, Canada • Fried, S., & Fried, P., Bullies & Victims: Helping Your Child Through the Schoolyard Battlefield. (1996). New York, NY: M. Evans & Co. • Hirsch, L., Bully, http://www.thebullyproject.com/ - Bully is a 2011 documentary film about bullying in U.S. schools. Directed by Lee Hirsch, the film follows the lives of five students who face bullying on a daily basis.