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Bullying prevention & intervention: Safer environments, safe kids

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Bullying prevention & intervention: Safer environments, safe kids. Tyler Whitehead YRBS Coordinator/Bullying and Youth Violence Consultant Oklahoma State Department of Health. What Is Bullying?. There is no “set” definition of bullying - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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BULLYING PREVENTION & INTERVENTION: SAFER ENVIRONMENTS, SAFE KIDS Tyler Whitehead YRBS Coordinator/Bullying and Youth Violence Consultant Oklahoma State Department of Health
Transcript
Page 1: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

BULLYING PREVENTION & INTERVENTION: SAFER ENVIRONMENTS, SAFE KIDSTyler Whitehead

YRBS Coordinator/Bullying and Youth Violence Consultant

Oklahoma State Department of Health

Page 2: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

WHAT IS BULLYING?

There is no “set” definition of bullying However, there are 3 criteria that are

present in every bullying situation:Aggressive behavior that is unwanted and

negativeA pattern of behavior that is repeated over

time* Involves an imbalance of power

*Current debate on whether or not the behavior(s) need to be repeated to be considered bullying

Page 3: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

DEFINITION

“A person is bullied when he or she is exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other persons, and he or she has difficulty defending himself or herself."

Dan Olweus

Page 4: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

TYPES OF BULLYING Verbal bullying including derogatory comments

and bad names Bullying through social exclusion or isolation Physical bullying such as hitting, kicking, shoving,

and spitting Bullying through lies and false rumors Having money or other things taken or damaged

by students who bully Being threatened or being forced to do things by

students who bully Racial bullying Sexual bullying Cyber bullying (via cell phone or Internet)

Page 5: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

The young always have the same problem – how to rebel and conform at the same time. They have now solved this by defying their parents

and copying one another.

Quentin Crisp

Page 6: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

DANGEROUS WORDS TO USE WHEN DEALING WITH A BULLY

It’s just teasing. It’s no big deal. The people in our school would never do….. I know he/she did not mean anything like

that. It’s your fault for dressing so provocatively. You need to learn to handle these things. Just ignore it She/he puts his/her arms around everyone. Why can’t you learn to accept a compliment You must have wanted it or you would have

him/her “no.”

Page 7: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

DANGEROUS WORDS TO USE WHEN DEALING WITH A BULLY (CONTINUED)

That’s how they do things where he/she is from.

It’s just a joke. Lighten up! Oh well, boys will be boys. “If you are going to act so ₋ ₋ ₋, then you

should be expected to be treated this way.”

Page 8: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

WHY STUDENTS BULLY

Research suggests there are 3 interrelated reasons why students bully Students who bully have strong needs for power

and (negative) dominance Students who bully find satisfaction in causing

injury and suffering to other students Students who bully are often rewarded in some

way for their behavior with material or psychological rewards

Page 9: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

Force is all – conquering, but its victories are short – lived.

Abraham Lincoln

Page 10: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

IMPACTS OF BULLYING

For the Victim:School is supposed to be a safe place for

everyone, however when students experience bullying, it can have lasting impacts on their health, education, and general well-being: Depression Low self-esteem Health problems Poor grades Suicidal thoughts

Page 11: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

IMPACTS OF BULLYING

For the Perpetrators:Students that engage in bullying must be

held accountable for their actions! Often students that bully others tend to: Get into more frequent fights Steal and vandalize property Drink alcohol and smoke Report poor grades Carry weapons Perceive a negative climate at school

Page 12: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

IMPACTS OF BULLYING

For the Bystanders:Often people do not realize that bullying

not only impacts the victim negatively, but that the students that observe have negative outcomes from the bullying: Feelings that the school is unsafe Fear Powerless to act Guilt for not acting Pressure to participate

Page 13: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

IMPACT OF BULLYING

For the School:The entire school climate is negatively

affected when bullying is allowed to continue: An environment of fear and disrespect evolves Students feel fearful and insecure Students dislike school The staff is perceived as being powerless and

uncaring The staff may also be perceived to be bystanders

or participants of the bullying

Page 14: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

BULLYING IS… Not normal conflict between peers, being that there is

not an imbalance of power during normal conflict Bullying can begin as young as age 3, however, the

behaviors peek among middle school aged children and tend to decrease or plateau by high school

It is considered by some to be peer abuse and peer mediation and/or peer mentoring will not help to resolve bullying issues

There is a correlation between bullying behavior in youth and intimate partner violence later in life

Females bully just as often as males, however, males tend to bully more directly, whereas females tend to use more indirect methods, such as gossip and social isolation

Males tend to bully without regard to gender, but females tend to bully only females

Bullying IS a learned behavior!!! Bullying IS a form of violence!!!

Page 15: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

In violence we forget who we are.

Mary McCarthy

Page 16: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

PARENTAL ROLES Parents play a huge role in their child’s attitudes

toward bullying behaviors It has been found that discipline style is related

to bullying, with either an extremely permissive style of discipline or an exceedingly harsh style of discipline increasing the risk

Also, youth that come from homes in which their parents provide little emotional support, do not supervise their activities, and have little involvement in their lives are shown to have an increased risk of bullying

Bullying is generally a community problem, indicating pro-violence attitudes and tolerance of ostracizing differences

Page 17: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

PHYSICAL BULLYING

Physical bullying consists of: Hitting Kicking Pinching Punching Scratching Hair pulling Biting Spitting Damage to or stealing one’s property Any physical attack

Page 18: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

VERBAL BULLYING

Verbal Bullying consists of: Name-calling Insulting Making derogatory or offensive remarks Sexist or homophobic jokes, remarks, or teasing Using sexually suggestive or abusive language This is the most common type of bullying Harder to detect, as teasing among peers

may be just normal dialogue among friends

Page 19: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

EMOTIONAL BULLYING

Emotional bullying consists of: Spreading gossip, rumors, or generally nasty

stories about someone Exclusion from social groups Being made the subjects of malicious rumors Done more among females Also hard to detect, as it is more indirect

and difficult to find out the origin

Page 20: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

CYBER BULLYING

Cyber Bullying is any type of bullying that is carried on through electronic means: Text messaging bullying Picture/video bullying clips via mobile phone

camera Bullying phone calls via cell phones Email bullying Chat room bullying Instant messaging (IM) bullying Website bullying Social networking bullying

Page 21: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

WHAT EXACTLY IS CYBER BULLYING?

It is when a child, preteen, or teen is threatened, tormented, harassed, embarrassed, humiliated, or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen, or teen using an electronic means: Must be minor to minor or instigated by a minor If an adult is involved, then it is no longer

considered bullying; it is considered cyber-harassment or cyber-stalking

Usually not a one time event Bullies and victims can fluctuate

Page 22: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

CYBER BULLYING LINGO Flaming: Online fights using electronic messages with

angry and vulgar language Harassment: Repeatedly sending nasty, mean, and

insulting messages Denigration: “Dissing” someone online. Sending or

posting gossip or rumors about a person to damage his or her reputation or friendships.

Impersonation: Pretending to be someone else or sending or posting material to get that person in trouble or danger or to damage that person’s reputation or friendships

Outing: Sharing someone’s secrets or embarrassing information or images online

Trickery: Talking someone into revealing secrets or embarrassing information, then sharing it online

Exclusion: Intentionally and cruelly excluding someone from an online group

Cyber Stalking: Repeated, intense harassment and denigration that includes threats or creates significant fear

Page 23: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

TYPES OF CYBER BULLYING

Cyber bullying can be done two different ways: direct attack and by proxy. Direct attacks involve:

Instant Messaging (IM) and text messaging Stealing passwords Blogs Websites Sending pictures through cell phones and emails Internet polling Interactive gaming Sending malicious code Sending porn and other junk email and IM’s Impersonation

Page 24: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

DIRECT ATTACKS

IM and text messaging harassment involves: Sending hateful or threatening messages, without

really realizing the severity of the damage they are doing

“Warning Wars,” which is telling on the user to the Internet Service Providers (ISP) in order to get the target kicked off for a period of time

Creating a screen name that is very similar to another kid’s name and posing as the other person to use their identity to say inappropriate or mean things

Text wars or text attacks, where the victim is bombarded with hundreds or thousands of text messages, creating a huge bill and making their parents angry (can be done by more than one child)

Sending death threats via text messaging or IM, even posting videos or pictures

Page 25: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

DIRECT ATTACKS CONT.

Kids may steal another kid’s password for many reasons: To pose as the other person and say mean or

offensive things to turn others against the victim To change the victims profile to include sexual,

racist, or otherwise inappropriate things to offend others

Can be used to lock the victim out of their own account

Once the password has been stolen, it can be used by hackers to break into the victims computer

Page 26: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

DIRECT ATTACKS CONT.

While blogs may be a fun way for youth to keep up with each other, it can be used to put embarrassing or hurtful information about others: For example, a kid might post mean things or

embarrassing things about a girl after breaking up with her

Can also be a venue for a kid to imposter another kid and say offensive or embarrassing things

Page 27: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

DIRECT ATTACKS CONT.

Youth can also bully through websites and internet polling: Kids may create web pages containing

dangerous personal information, such as address and phone numbers, insulting remarks about others or groups of people, or pictures

“Who’s Hot? Who’s Not?!” “Who’s the biggest slut in 6th grade?” There have been websites created to poll other youth, in which they will name certain kids or post pictures to determine who is the ugliest, fattest, etc…

Page 28: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

DIRECT ATTACKS CONT.

Sending picture/video messages through email or cell phones is another way that youth can bully one another: Kids may send nude pictures/videos or degrading

pictures/videos of other youth through email or cell phones

Kids may use a picture of someone else and impose a picture of another kid’s head on the body

Passing on pictures or videos that they receive to others

Taking pictures in a locker room, bathroom, or dressing room and posting on the internet or sending to others via cell phone or email

I.e. the college student from Rutgers who recently died by suicide after his roommates posted intimate videos of him online

Page 29: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

DIRECT ATTACKS CONT.

Interactive gaming is a way for youth to use gaming systems, such as Xbox or PlayStation, to communicate by chat or live internet phone while playing their games: However, sometimes, this provides a forum for

others to verbally abuse those they are playing with, using threats or offensive language

Can also lock out the other player Or hack into their accounts

Page 30: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

DIRECT ATTACKS CONT.

Youth can bully others by sending pornographic IM’s or signing up another person for marketing lists, mostly pornographic sites, thereby causing their parents to think they have been looking at those types of sites

Additionally, some youth can send spyware, hacking programs, or viruses to another youth, which can either destroy the victim’s computer or allows the sender to spy on them. i.e. Trojan horse programs can allow the bully to

control the user’s computer and erase the hard drive

Page 31: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

DIRECT ATTACKS CONT.

Finally, general impersonation of the victim can be quite damaging: Posting confrontational comments on a hate

group chatroom impersonating the victim, often posting contact information, which can cause the group to attempt to retaliate

Sending hateful or offensive messages, while posing as the victim; messages can be sent to either friends of the victim or others who don’t like the victim or don’t even know the victim

Altering a message that the victim sent, making others think that offensive or revealing things were said or shared with others

Page 32: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

CYBER BULLYING BY PROXY

Cyber bullying by proxy is done when a third party or parties get involved in the bullying, usually unwittingly

Can even involve adults who may not realize that they are dealing with a youth, one that they may even know

By proxy is considered to be a very dangerous method of bullying, as sometimes it can endanger the youth by causing harassment or threats by hate groups or child molesters

Page 33: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

BY PROXY CONT.

Examples of cyber bullying by proxy are: ISP’s, using “warning wars” Parents who punish the youth, thinking that the

youth did something wrong or is being the bully Various chat rooms or discussion boards ,

sometimes involving individuals or groups that could harm the youth

Most often, the bullying youth will pose as the victim and send offensive messages to the friends of the victim, turning them against the victim, unwittingly

Page 34: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

At fourteen you don’t need sickness or death for tragedy.

Jessamyn West

Page 35: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

PROFILE OF A BULLY Many times, people believe that bullies mask

insecurities and low self-esteem with their behavior, however, this is often untrue They tend to be confident and have a high self-esteem They tend to have low tolerance for frustration and are typically

impulsive They tend to be physically aggressive with pro-violence

attitudes They show little concern for others’ feelings and the way their

actions affect others They tend to have poorer grades, steal, vandalize, use and

abuse substances, fight more frequently, carry weapons, and have negative attitudes towards school*

They may have come from violent homes, in which they either experienced, directly or indirectly, domestic violence*

According to one study, there was a strong correlation between bullying in youth and criminal activity later in life; those described as bullies in 6 – 9 grades had obtained at least one conviction by the age 24

*Not necessarily true in all cases

Page 36: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

PROFILES OF CYBER BULLIES In contrast to the typical school yard bully, many cyber

bullies actually tend to be the more tech-savvy, intelligent type of individual, more of the “nerdy” type of student, who is probably the victim of offline bullying at school

The types of cyber bullies fall under four main types: A “vengeful do-gooder” is one who thinks that they are either

protecting themselves or a friend and doesn’t realize that they are bullying; also may be retaliating for something done to them or someone close to them

A “power-hungry” cyber bully tends to enjoy having an audience (even though they will probably only tell friends that they think will be sympathetic) and exerting their authority; probably enjoys the idea that they will not have to confront the victim in person

A “mean girls” type of bully usually bullies with a group of people, mostly for entertainment, with the bullying being ego-based; this type of bullying gets fed by others joining in or standing by and allowing it to happen

An “inadvertent bully” is one who either lashes out unintentionally or is role-playing and doesn’t realize that they are being hurtful

Page 37: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

CHARACTERISTICS OF A TARGET

Targets of bullying display common traits, falling into two categories, passive victims and provocative victims: Passive victims tend to be insecure, do not defend

themselves, almost never behave aggressively, and are socially isolated

Provocative victims tend to be highly aggressive and provoke the attacks of others; they also are the most socially isolated

All targets tend to be anxious, insecure, have low self-esteem, and often are isolated or lack social skills

Continued bullying can have long-term consequences, such as depression, increased anxiety, decreased feelings of self-worth, increased isolation, and suicidal thoughts

This can follow the target into adulthood

Page 38: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

ROLES OF THE BYSTANDER The bystander is a person who does not take an active

role in the bullying (not the bully, specifically) but does nothing to assist the target or intervene on the target’s behalf; a passive observer

Bystanders can be the biggest defense against bullying Bystanders fall into four categories:

The assistants: These bystanders participate actively in the bullying but do not initiate

The reinforcers: This bystander does not actively participate in the bullying but either provides an audience for the situation or makes encouraging gestures, such as laughing

The outsiders: These kids stay away, not taking sides or getting involved but giving their silent approval by not intervening

The defenders: These youth show anti-bullying behavior by comforting the target, trying to remove the target from the situation, and generally trying to stop the incident

Page 39: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

SIGNS THAT BULLYING IS OCCURRING Unfortunately, when a youth is bullied, they

will not always tell an adult, these are some symptoms that he/she may display: Difficulty concentrating in class/easily distracted Wants to take a different route to school or have

different transportation Sudden lack of interest in school activities or

school sponsored events Sudden drop in grades Happy on weekends but unhappy, preoccupied,

or tense on Sundays Uses “victim” body language – hunches

shoulders, hangs head, won’t make eye contact, back off from others

Page 40: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

SIGNS CONT. Suddenly prefers the company of adults Has frequent illnesses (i.e. psychosomatic: headaches,

stomachaches, etc.) or fakes illness Suffers from fatigue or has nightmare or insomnia Comes homes with unexplained cuts, bruises, scratches,

etc. Possessions lost, damaged, or destroyed without

explanation Change in eating patterns Develops stammer or stutter Frequently asks for extra money (for supposed school

expenses) Has a sudden change in behavior Talks about running away, dropping out of school, being

depressed, or suicide or attempts Talks about others making fun of him/her, being threatened

or physically attacked, not being able to stand up for himself/herself, or being gossiped about or excluded from social groups

Page 41: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

PREVALENCE OF BULLYING Almost 30%, or over 5.7 million, of all youth in the

United States are estimated to be involved in bullying, either as the perpetrator or victim

The U.S. Secret Service recent analyses of 37 school shootings have revealed that the victims had endured ‘“bullying and harassment that was longstanding and severe.’”

18% of Oklahoma students have been bullied on school property in 12 months prior to the survey (2009 YRBS)

4% did not go to school on one or more days in the 30 days prior to the survey because they did not feel safe at school or on their way to or from school (2009 YRBS)

6% had been threatened or injured with a weapon, such as a knife, gun, or club on school property one or more times in the past 12 months (2009 YRBS)

6% carried a weapon, such as a knife, gun, or club on school property on one or more of the 30 days prior to the survey (2009 YRBS)

Page 42: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

PREVALENCE OF CYBER BULLYING

18% of students, grades 6-8 said they had been cyber bullied at least once in 12 months; 6 percent said it happened to them 2 or more times (Kowalski et al., 2005)

11% of students in grades 6-8 said they had cyber bullied another person at least a couple of months, and 2 percent said they had done it 2 or more times (Kowalski et al., 2005)

19% of regular Internet users between the ages of 10 and 17 reported being involved in aggression, 15% had been aggressors and 7% had been targets (Ybarra & Mitchell, 2004)

Page 43: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

PREVALENCE CONT.

Of students in grades 6-8: Girls were about twice as likely as boys to be

victims and perpetrators of cyber bullying. Of those students who had been cyber bullied

relatively frequently (at least twice in the last couple of months):

- 62% said that they had been cyber bullied by another student at school and 46% had been cyber bullied by a friend.

- 55% did not know who cyber bullied them.

Of those students who admitted cyber bullying others relatively frequently:

- 60% had cyber bullied another student at school and 56% had cyber bullied a friend.

Page 44: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

SCHOOL BULLYING PREVENTION ACT (2002)70 O.S. § 24 – 100.2

Effective November 1, 2002, each Oklahoma public school district shall adopt a policy prohibiting harassment, intimidation and bullying by students and shall address prevention of and education about such behavior.

Safe School Committees shall study and make recommendations regarding student harassment, bullying and intimidation and consider professional development needs of faculty and staff to implement methods to decrease harassment.

Safe School Committees shall review methods to encourage the involvement of the community and students, the development of problem-solving teams that include counselors and/or school psychologists and review prevention programs.

The State Department of Education shall compile and distribute a list of research-based programs for prevention of bullying. (See program list at <www.sde.state.ok.us> under Safe and Healthy Schools.)

Page 45: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

OKLAHOMA TELECOMMUNICATIONS LAWHOUSE BILL 1804 (2005)21 O.S. 2005 § 1172 It is unlawful for a person by means of

telecommunication with intent to terrify, harass, intimidate, or threaten to inflict injury or physical harm to any person or property of that person

With intent to put the party in fear of physical harm or death

Identity is not disclosed of the person making the call with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any person at the called number

Includes communication initiated by electronic mail, instant message, network call, or facsimile machine or communication made to a pager

Any person convicted shall be guilty of a misdemeanor

Convicted of a second offense is a felony

Page 46: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

OKLAHOMA SCHOOL SECURITY ACTSENATE BILL 1941 (2008)70 O.S § 24 – 100.3 (3) (4)

Effective November 1, 2008, each school district will add “electronic communication” and “threatening behavior” as part of their bullying prevention policy

Policy will include a procedure to investigate reported acts of harassment and bullying

An additional member will be added to each site’s Safe School Committee who is a school official and part of the investigation team

This law “prohibits threatening behavior, harassment, intimidation, and bullying by students at school and by electronic communication, whether or not such communication originated at school or with school equipment, if the communication is specifically directed at students or school personnel and concerns harassment, intimidation, or bullying at school…”

Page 47: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

DEFINITIONS70 O.S. § 24 – 100.3

From Senate Bill 1941: Electronic Communications Defined:

“Means of communication of any written, verbal, or pictorial information by means of an electronic device, including, but not limited to, a telephone, a celeular telephone or other wireless telecommunication device, or a computer.”

Threatening Behavior Defined: “Any pattern of behavior or isolated action whether or

not it is directed at another person, that a reasonable person would believe indicates potential harm to students, school personnel, or school property.”

Page 48: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

SO…WHEN SHOULD SCHOOLS STEP IN?

There is a threat that a rational person would take seriously

Disrupts the normal operation of school Students use Web sites inappropriately at

school Students encourage others to misuse Web

sites at school There is any negative impact on faculty, staff

or students

Page 49: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

SCHOOL POLICY TO ADDRESS BULLYING It is state law that schools must address bullying,

even if the bullying is not happening on site It is imperative that schools adopt a systematic

approach to resolve bullying, as it has been demonstrated that prevention and cessation require a multitude of individuals, who educate about positive behaviors

It has further been demonstrated that approaches that just target those who bully are less effective than creating a school-wide commitment to the reduction of bullying

The school should draft an anti-bullying policy, which must be distributed to all staff and outline clear and concise measures that illustrate that bullying behaviors will not be tolerated, with any incidences being taken seriously; the policy must be fairly and consistently applied

Page 50: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

ADDRESSING THE ISSUES The school can map problematic or high-risk areas

and provide more coverage during break times and class changes

It is recommended that schools not only enforce the negative consequences for the students who bully but also teach positive behaviors through modeling, coaching, praise, prompting, and other forms of reinforcing

Schools can also teach positive social behaviors by implementing programs that provide students with social skills training, conflict resolution techniques, anger management, and character education

It is additionally recommended that the schools increase parental involvement within the school and community, as there are positive impacts on youth with greater parental involvement and supervision

Page 51: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

ADVICE FOR SCHOOL STAFF Know your school’s policy on bullying and cyber

bullying Do not accept or open photos sent electronically

by students Report harmful and threatening

speech/messages/posts to school administrators Identify policies such as technology, possession

and use of cell phones, search and seizure, and student discipline policies and determine whether the policies are current and enforceable

Policies must be legally reviewed to ensure they protect students’ due process rights AND shield administrators from liability in investigation and evidence collection

Page 52: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

FURTHER ADVICE FOR SCHOOL STAFF

Many innovative teachers are establishing online environments similar to social networking communities to support high quality instructional activities. It is necessary to take care in the use of such environments for instruction including: establishing clear standards for the kinds of

materials that can be posted ensuring teacher preview of all materials prior to

posting having an effective mechanism to respond to any

concerns about materials posted

Page 53: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

I believe that we are solely responsible for our choices, and we have to accept the consequences of

every deed, word, and thought throughout our lifetime.

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Page 54: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

APPROPRIATE INTERVENTIONS FOR STAFF The bullying will, more times than not, take place

somewhere that no adults will see, such as locker rooms, buses, restrooms, hallways during class changes, etc…

It is important for ALL staff to know the rules and policies pertaining to bullying; this includes administrative assistants, janitors, bus drivers, etc…

If any staff member witnesses a bullying incident: Immediately stop the bullying, standing between the

students if necessary Refer to the bullying behavior and to the relevant school

rules against bullying, using a matter of fact tone of voice to explain the actions done were unacceptable

Support the bullied child in a way that allows him/her to regain self-control, to “save face,” and to feel supported and safe from retaliation, even meeting with the child in private after the situation has diffused Never blame the victim!!! I.e. “Why don’t you stand up for

yourself?”

Page 55: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

STAFF INTERVENTIONS CONT. Include bystanders in the conversation and

give them guidance about how they can appropriately intervene or get help next time Will also need to meet with them in private, so as

not to put them on the spot If appropriate, impose immediate

consequences for the student that bullied Do not require the student to apologize

immediately and connect the behavior to the consequence logically; document and notify colleagues

Do not require the students to meet and “work it out” As there is a power imbalance, this does not

improve relations between the students

Page 56: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

FOLLOW – UP AND SUPPORT Provide follow-up interventions as appropriate

Determine the severity and levels of interventions as well as who should be involved in this

Notify the parents of the situation as appropriate Support the bullied student in processing the circumstances

of the bullying They may need to vent their feelings, get support, assistance

identifying friends, assistance reading social cues, assistance with building self-esteem, and practicing asserting themselves

Assist the student that bullies in recognition of their behavior Students that bully may need assistance in taking responsibility

for their behavior, developing empathy, finding ways to make amends, and learning to use power in socially appropriate ways

When there are suspicions of further bullying: Try to utilize the bystanders by offering opportunities to practice

intervention techniques outside of the “heat of the moment,” gather more information from them, offer positive incentives to helpful, active bystanders to increase student involvement, and intensify supervision and observation among staff

Page 57: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

REMEMBER!!

As an educator you are teaching much more than reading, writing, and arithmetic – you are a role model for the students!

“Children have never been very good listening to their elders, but they have never failed to

imitate them.”James Baldwin

Page 58: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

WHY STUDENTS DON’T REPORT BULLYING AND CYBER BULLYING

Embarrassment Fear of retaliation Fear of loss of Internet or phone privileges Fear of becoming a target (bystanders) Diminish the negative behavior on the part of

the bully “Diffusion of responsibility” (bystanders)

Page 59: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

WHAT CAN TARGETED STUDENTS DO?

Ignore the bully – try to walk off Agree with those bullying Tell a joke Refuse to fight Be friendly Talk back Fool the bully Tell someone

Page 60: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

TO AVOID BULLYING SITUATIONS Sit near the bus driver on the school bus Take a different route to and from home Leave a little earlier or later to avoid a

confrontation with a bullying student Do not bring expensive items or lots of money

to school Make sure you are not alone in the bathroom

or locker room Take different routes through the hallways

when changing classes or walk with someone, such as a friend or school personnel

Avoid unsupervised areas of the school and situations in which you are isolates from others

Page 61: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

ADVICE TO STUDENTS WHO ARE BULLIED

When you are being bullied: Be firm and clear Get away from the situation Tell an adult

After you have been bullied: Write it down and give it to a teacher or an adult Tell your family or a trusted friend If you are scared to tell a teacher, have a friend

go with you Keep on speaking up until someone listens Do not blame yourself for what has happened

Page 62: Bullying prevention & intervention:  Safer environments, safe kids

ADVICE CONT. When you are talking or writing about being

bullied, be clear about it: What has happened to you? How often has it happened? Who was involved? Who saw what was happening? Where did it happen? What have done about it already?

Childhood Bullying and Testing: What School Personnel, Other Professionals, and Parents Can Do.

Dorthea M. Ross, Ph.D.

<www.nea.org/schoolsafety/bullyingadvice2pupils.html>

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HOW CAN THE BYSTANDER HELP? Bystanders can be a powerful defense against bullying Bystanders can intervene appropriately by:

Choosing not watch and walk way (taking away the audience)

Being kind to other student being bullied at a different time Telling the bullied student that they don’t like the bullying

and asking them if there is anything that can be done to help (tell someone or go with them to tell someone)

Telling the students doing the bullying that you don’t like it and you want it to stop (but only if it feels safe to do so)

“Scooping up” the bullied student by taking them by the arm and saying something like “Come on, we need you for our game.” (again only if it feels safe to do so)

Witnessing, validating and supporting the bullied student’s experience afterwards, which reassures the victim that they were supported

Taking opportunities to contribute to the anti-bullying culture of the school by projects or activities which may include poster, video, or film contests pertaining to anti-bullying

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It's surprising how many persons go through life without ever recognizing that

their feelings toward other people are largely determined by their feelings toward themselves, and if you're not

comfortable within yourself, you can't be comfortable with others.

Sydney J. Harris

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WHEN IMPLEMENTING A BULLYING PREVENTION PROGRAM… Make sure you get buy-in from the entire staff Survey the staff to find out if they will support

such an initiative Involve parents Form a steering committee or use safe school

committee Set school and classroom rules on bullying Design the program so it is easily implemented

into the teaching curriculum Make sure staff deals with bullying consistently

and enforces the anti-bullying rules

Source: Prevent Bullying: Proactive Tips to Tame Aggressive Behavior

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AT THE NEXT STAFF MEETING, ASK What is our district policy on bullying and harassment? What is our school’s definition of bullying? Will we survey the students as to the prevalence of

bullying? What is our school’s discipline or consequence plan? What documentation is required? Will a staff form be

used? To whom is it given? Does the plan include a “skills” class or Student

Assistance Group, counseling or “teen court” approach?

Are parents required to attend an educational awareness session on bullying and harassment with their “suspended” student?

Who will follow-up on the effectiveness of the prevention program?

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We challenge the culture of violence when we ourselves act in the certainty that violence is no longer acceptable, that it's tired and outdated no matter how many cling to it in the stubborn

belief that it still works and that it's still valid.

Gerard Vanderhaar

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SAFE-CALL 1-877-SAFE-CALL EXT 651

Anonymous, toll-free telephone line for educators, students and citizens to share their concerns about potentially disruptive or dangerous situations in public schools

Monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week Within half an hour of an anonymous phone call,

a faxed transcript is sent to the local school superintendent for his/her info and further investigation

If it is an emergency call—bomb threat, weapons report, threat to kill, suicide threat, etc—the school superintendent is notified ASAP. If no school officials can be reached, local law enforcement officers are notified

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SOURCES AND RESOURCES http://www.sde.state.ok.us/Schools/SafeHealthy/pdf/

ResourceBrochure.pdf http://stopcyberbullying.org/ http://www.athinline.org/ http://www.thatsnotcool.com/ http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov http://www.webwisekids.org http://www.isafe.org http://www.cyberbullying.us http://www.cyberbullying.ca http://aacap.org/page.ww?

name=Bullying&section=Facts+for+Families http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/problems/bullies.html

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RESOURCES CONT. http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/HHS_PSA/pdfs/

SBN_Tip_4.pdf http://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/pdf/

Bystanders_and_Bullying.pdf http://www.education.com/topic/school-bullying-

teasing/ http://www.safeyouth.gov/Pages/Home.aspx http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/index.php?

option=content&task=view&id=1640&Itemid=835 http://www.nmha.org/go/information/get-info/children-

s-mental-health/bullying-and-gay-youth http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/rg-

bullying_harassment_schoolbasedviolence.html http://www.olweus.org/public/index.page http://www.sde.state.ok.us/Schools/SafeHealthy/pdf/

Bullying.pdf

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FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

State Department of Education:

Gayle Jones, Director of Safe & Healthy Schools(405) 521-2107

[email protected] www.sde.state.ok.us/Schools/SafeHealthy

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THANK YOU!

Contact Information:

Tyler Whitehead, YRBS Coordinator and Bullying Consultant

[email protected]

Support for this presentation is provided by the Maternal and Child Health Service Title V Block Grant


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