subject: Five Ways Elementary And Secondary Schools Can Work To Eliminate Bullying [print this page] Bullying is a societal disgrace and it is unfortunately incubated in our schools. Year after year, it seems that we hear a steady stream of stories about suicides and murders committed because of school bullying. There is no logic to thinking that bullying is "just part of our culture." There are many worse, more culturally entrenched negatives that have been part of society in the past and which our society has virtually eliminated.
Elementary and secondary schools can make it a priority to rid themselves of bullying through very specific means. Some of these means are tried and true, while others might require a little imagination and courage.
Here are five ideas for ways for schools to eliminate bullying:
Increased supervision. This has been shown to alleviate bullying or stop it entirely. Bullies lay low when adults are around. Closed circuit cameras and other surveillance can be used to watch playgrounds, yards and hallways. Evidence from footage can be used to confront bullies or as grounds for discipline.
Educate the entire school community about roots and causes. Bullying is a behavior that is learned through imitation and it is exacerbated by propagation of negative or violent images. Media literacy classes have been shown to decrease boys' violence. Schools can encourage discussion about violence and change attitudes toward accepting violence as a norm.
Schools need to begin teaching against bullying when children are young, teach inclusion and propagate that teaching. When schools make it part of the culture to stop bullying and mentor children in taking part in eliminating bullying, they can learn over time how to eliminate bullying from their lives.
Reward kids who stand up to bullies. Statistics show that bullying becomes less frequent when peers discourage it (or at least refuse to join in). Standing up to a bully is the most difficult thing to do, of course - especially for children.
Why not come up with imaginative ways of rewarding children who report bullies? Encourage sharing evidence of bullying including the use of cell phone cameras and other recording devices. Reward him or her in some way that is appreciated, as publicly as he or she will allow. Statistics repeatedly show that less than 50% of bullying is ever reported. Bypass the stigma of "snitching" and reward children for doing the right thing.
There are also websites including reportbullying.com and numerous other resources.
Scare bullies straight. Bullying children often end up as bullying adults, conditioned to believe they can get away with violence and aggression. They have a much worse chance of getting involved in aggression, harassment and criminal behavior later in life. When you find out who the bullies are, educate them about where bullies end up. Prisons and courts are full of people who got caught for not only physical violence but also lying, slander and all the other pernicious forms of bullying children might think are "not really bad." Many bullies are simply naive about the long-term effects of their bullying - on others and on themselves.
Start believing it can be eliminated. Be the change you want to see, as Gandhi famously said. If he can alter a nation, you can change your school. Set a goal to eliminate bullying in your school then get the entire community - staff, students, parents, everyone - on board. Take your cue from how harassment, racism, physical abuse were once accepted but are all now disgraceful. Attitudes can change, but we begin with your own. Stop accepting bullying as the norm. Then spread that belief.
Schools have to realize that they have a big stake in eliminating bullying. Think about whether you want your school to be known for its end-bullying program versus its potential to become another one-word symbol like, sadly, "Columbine." We have eliminated a host of other societal maladies.
Why not take an active part in making bullying history?
