Online Bullying - Denial Is Dangerous
School bullying and online bullying has become the new American challenge
. Recent statistics show that 77 percent of American students reported being bullied and harassed. 15 percent reported three or more instances of bullying in a one month period and 37 percent of parents worry about their child's physical safety when he/she is at school. The facts show needs to be addressed.clip form theBullying Assembly
Bullying has gained national attention because of violent episodes that gave forth to headlines like, "Bullied to death". This hyped coverage may give the impression that bullying is limited to spectacular and extreme behavior in urban environments. Nothing is farther form the truth. Studies, statistics and a little common sense will lead to the conclusion that bullying is a problem, in one form or another, throughout American schools.
Schools are responding to bullying behavior in two very opposite ways. The proactive schools are adopting anti bullying curriculum, conducting assemblies, and punishing cyber bullying, physical bullying and gossip. In short, they have taken a "not in our school approach". They have admitted there is a threat of bulling behavior in the school and they are addressing it. The "in denial" schools are taking an entirely different approach, they are doing nothing. They are doing nothing because they "don't have a bullying problem".
Saying there is no bullying problem on your campus is like saying there are no students on campus. Especially if you have a middle school campus. Administrators have two very different reasons for saying there is no bullying problem. One is that they do not actually believe they have a problem. The other is that they do not want to admit to having a problem. When dealing with any negative social behavior, denial is dangerous.
Principals and district administrators may be afraid of taking a proactive stance against bullying because they will be admitting they have bullying behavior occurring in their school. They are afraid there may be some negative fallout to adopting an anti bullying curriculum or bringing in an anti bullying speaker. They are afraid of "how it might look" if they address bullying at a school wide level. In all my years as an anti bullying assembly presenter, I have never seen a negative response to a proactive stance against bullying.
Encourage administrators by letting them know they will get positive press, not negative, for taking on this tough issue. Parents, students and teachers will be glad that the administration has made decisions based on reality and not appearance. True, by conducting an anti bullying assembly or adopting an anti bullying curriculum, the administrator is admitting there may by a problem at his school. However what he/she is really demonstrating is an awareness of the predatory behaviors that have permeated youth culture. His school may not have had much of a bullying problem ten years ago, but like the rest of the nation, it has one now.
You can deal with reluctant administrators by letting them know their anti bullying efforts will garner positive press, admiration, positive support form parents, and most importantly, changed student behavior. You can move administrators from denial to action by using logic and evidence. If bullying is happening on your school campus, let administrators know about it in specific, not general terms.
Calling an administrator and saying that there is a bullying problem on campus is not as effective as saying, "On Sept 2nd my son came home scraped up and said he got 'jumped" behind the C bus by Brad Johnson and Allen Jones after school." Don't call and say," my daughter has been receiving hateful comments on her Face book and email. Instead save all the actual comments and forward them to the administrator. In short, don't make sweeping and alarmist accusations. Simply show the evidence.
If you have an administrator that admits there is a bullying problem but is reluctant to take it on, reassure him that a proactive stance will be well received and bear long term positive results. If you have an administrator that is in denial, present the facts without placing blame. Bullying that goes unaddressed or unnoticed will only grow. When it comes to bullying, denial is dangerous.
by: Keith Deltano. How To Make Real Money Online For Beginners Watch Footy Online - How to Watch Aussie Football Online Send Rakhi And Rakhi Gifts To India Online With Sendrakhigiftstoindia.com Real Ways To Make Money Online Selecting Adult Incontinence Products Online Can You Make Money Online? Watch Live Wrestling Online How to Chat Online Via Your Mobile Phone Watch Piranha 3D (2010) online in HQ for free Where can I watch piranha 3D online for free How To Watch Live TV Online Online Gifts For Special People In Your Life Trade In A Modern World