Bullying Issues for parents

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Bullying Issues Act 681 of 2003

• Northwest Arkansas Child Care Resource Referral
  Center
• 614 E. Emma, Suite 135
• Springdale, AR 72764
• 479-751-3463
• www.nwachildcare.org
• www.parenting-ed.org
• cthornto_at_jtlshop.jonesnet.org
• Carolene Thornton Ed.D

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Bullying is

• Repeated hurtful behavior by one or
• more persons toward another person
• or persons

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BULLYING Behaviors

• Bullying behavior may include
• physical,
• verbal,
• written and/or
• emotional abuse
• intended to be intimidating
• threatening
• harmful to another person.

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Bullying occurs whenever one or more persons
enjoys using power to repeatedly and consistently
harm one or more people.
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ACT 681

• In 2003 the 84th General Assembly of the Arkansas
  State Legislature enacted House Bill 2274 as Act
  681 of 2003
• Requires every school to adopt anti-bullying
  policies.
• Requires publishing notice of the policy.
• Requires mandatory reporting.
• Recommends staff training.
• Requires filing of policy with ADE.

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Anti-Bullying Policy Required

• Every school and school district is required to
  adopt an anti-bullying policy including
• A definition of bullying,
• Age appropriate consequences,
• A plan for publishing the policy,
• Provide training

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Policy to be Posted

• Bullying posters and consequences must be posted
  in every
• Classroom
• Cafeteria
• Restroom
• Gymnasium
• Auditorium
• School Bus

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Policy Notification

• In addition, copies of this policy are to be
  given to
• Parents
• Students
• School Volunteers
• School Employees

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Mandatory Reporting

• All school employees must report any incident of
  bullying.
• All incidents of bullying are to be reported to
  the school principal.
• The employee is immune from tort liability.

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Training

• The local school board may provide opportunities
  for school employees to participate in programs
  or other activities designed to develop the
  knowledge and skills to prevent and respond to
  acts covered by this policy.

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District Required to File

• The school district must file a copy of their
  policies with the Arkansas Department of
  Education.
• The Department of Education must review the
  policy and may make recommendations for changes
  or improvements.

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To be Considered Bullying

• There must be
• Repeated and consistent negative actions.
• Imbalance of power between the child who bullies
  and the target child.
• Contrasting feelings between the child who
  bullies and the target child as a result of the
  bullying.

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4 Types of Bullying

• Physical
• Verbal
• Relational
• Cyber-Bullying

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PHYSICAL

• Physical bullies hurt people and/or damage
• property.

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VERBAL

• Verbal bullies use humiliation and insulting
  comments

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RELATIONAL

• Relational bullies (often girls) influence
• their peers to reject or exclude another
  child.
• Example
• The movie Mean Girls

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CYBER-BULLYING

• Using technology to
• Threaten
• Intimidate
• Scare
• Gossip
• Rumor
• Demean
• Harass

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Recent Bully Research

• Research suggests
• today that bullies
• tend to have
• Inflated self esteem
• Need to feel powerful
• Family history

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Who are the Victims?

• Research studies have indicated that 1 in every
  10 students are regularly harassed or hurt by
  bullies.
• A survey reflected that 87 of the 4th graders
  responding to a survey had been bullied.
• An unscientific survey by a local northwest
  Arkansas educator found similar results.

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Anti-Bullying Programs

• We encourage all school districts to develop
• and implement a school-wide bullying
• program.
• Some suggested curriculum and books
• Second Step
• BullyProofing Your Schools
• The Bully Free Classroom
• Set Straight on Bullies (video)

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How to Identify a Problem

• How do you know if bullying is a
• problem?
• Ask the students
• Perform a survey
• Have the students write essays
• Put up a suggestion box
• Use silent complaint forms

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MYTHS about Bullying

• All bullying is physical.
• Bullying is just playing around.
• Bullying is normal peer conflict.
• Bullying is only a boys issue.
• Bullying has no lasting effects.
• Bullying behavior is seen only in children.
• Being bullied toughens you up.

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Bullying Bystander Implied Approval The Silent
Majority

• Why do children
• allow others to
• bully?
• Fear of being targeted
• Feel helpless
• Entertaining

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How Bullying Affects the Target Child

• Low self-
• confidence
• Fear
• Depression
• Revenge

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Possible Future Problems for the target child

• Academic Problems
• Social Isolation
• Mental Health Issues
• Substance Abuse
• Clinical Depression

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How does Bullying BehaviorAffect the Bully?

• Violence
• Manipulation
• Low Self Confidence
• Projection- psychological defense of ones own
  unwanted characteristics.

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Possible Future Problemsfor the child who Bullies

• Academic Problems
• Vocational Difficulties
• Social Isolation
• Legal Problems
• Violence and Crime

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Warning Signs that Your Child is the Target of
Bullying

• Any change in normal behavior
• Reluctance to attend school or peer-centered
  activities at school.
• Unexplainable drop in academic performance
• Torn clothing
• Headaches, stomachaches, or other unexplainable
  illnesses.
• Waking frequently, sleeping more than normal, or
  other changes in sleep patterns.

• Avoiding peers and social groupings at school.
• Avoiding the school cafeteria or playground.
• Avoiding extracurricular activities.
• Loss of interest in activities formerly enjoyed.
• Sad and depressed demeanor.
• Reluctance to walk to or from school.
• Reluctance to talk about whats happening at
  school.

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What Teachers of Target Children Can Do to Help

• Teachers must be
• Accessible
• Trustworthy
• Calm
• Listen
• Provide supervision
• Be supportive
• Accept the students feelings
• Role play responses
• Help them determine possible solutions.

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Reporting Bullying

• All school employees must report any bullying
  incidences to the school principal.
• School employees cannot be sued for reporting

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Practice Brainstorming Solutions with the
Students
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When Should Parents Contact the School?

• When youve worked with him/her at home, but the
  problem remains serious
• when his/her academic performance is failing.
• when he/she is physically threatened.
• When the child seems to be depressed

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Contacting the School

• Gather as much information about the bullying
  episodes as possible.
• Schedule a meeting to discuss the problem with
  the teacher, counselor, and/or administrator.
• Develop an action plan.
• Put the plan into action.
• Have a follow up meeting to evaluate the action
  plan and discuss changes in behavior.

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Warning Signs Your Student/Child is a Bully

• Enjoys putting down other people.
• Doesnt care whether others feelings are hurt.
• Shows a disrespect for authority.
• Shows a fascination with neo-Nazism or racial
  supremacy.
• Shows disrespect for the opposite sex.
• Makes jokes about rape or other violence against
  women.
• Enjoys fighting.

• Believes everything should go my way.
• Wont admit mistakes.
• Lies frequently to get out of trouble.
• Thinks rules are stupid.
• Deliberately hurts pets or other animals.
• Believes other people arent to be trusted.
• Refuses to admit fear.
• Uses anger to get what he/she wants.
• Has an attitude of superiority over other
  children.

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What Teachers / Parents of Bullies Can Do?

• Teach your child/student to care about others.
• Teach your child/student to be a peacemaker.
• Teach your child/student to be responsible.
• Know when to seek professional help.

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Teach Your Students/Child to Care About Others

• Ask your children how they feel.
• Provide unconditional love.
• Focus on similarities and discuss differences
  between your child and others.
• Refuse to laugh at cruel or demeaning jokes.
• Be kind.
• Show kindness to animals.
• Follow the Golden Rule.

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Teach Your Students/Child to be a Peacemaker

• Use respectful discipline techniques.
• Use healing words
• Thank you
• I love you
• I forgive you

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Teach Your Students/Child to be Responsible

• Have a positive attitude.
• Be a model of honesty at all times.
• Provide good supervision.
• Be cooperative and supportive.
• Admit your mistakes.
• Empower your children to determine the classroom
  rules.
• Role model good behavior.

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Bullying Can be Stopped if We

• Learn to identify the problem
• Intervene effectively
• Build self esteem
• Teach problem-solving skills in children who are
  targeted by bullying.
• Encourage empathy, responsibility, and kindness
  in children who bully.
• Recognize and change insidious social myths about
  bullying.
• Take positive steps that will make more
  confident, better-behaved children to build a
  happier future.

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When do You Contact a Therapist?

• When you see serious signs of
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Post-Traumatic Syndrome

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When do You Contact the Legal Authorities?

• Ask yourself the question
• Has a delinquent act been committed?

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Know When to Seek Professional Help

• If your childs serious behavior problems
  continue despite your best efforts, professional
  help may be necessary
• Encourage parents to contact a
• Psychologist
• Social Worker
• Psychiatrist

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Feel Safe and Secure

• Every student/child has a right to a safe school.
• Free to learn without threats, aggression or
  intimidation.