Violence and Bullying

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Violence and Bullying

• Combined All-Principals and
• All-Counselors Meeting
• February 19, 2009

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From the Executive Summary of the Indicators of
School Crime and Safety 2007

• Our nations schools should be safe havens for
  teaching and learning, free of crime and
  violence. Any instance of crime or violence at
  school not only affects the individuals involved
  but also may disrupt the educational process and
  affect bystanders, the school itself, and the
  surrounding community (Henry 2000).
• National Center for Education Statistics

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Public School Teachers Rate the Top Disciplinary
Problems

• In 1940
• Talking out of turn
• Chewing gum
• Making noise
• Running in the hall
• Cutting in line
• Dress code violations
• Littering

• In 1990
• Drug abuse
• Alcohol abuse
• Pregnancy
• Suicide
• Rape
• Robbery
• Assault
• Volokh, Alexander and Lisa Snell, Strategies to
  Keep Schools Safe, 1998.

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Violence and Bullying Today

• Why Today?

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Rise of School Violence

• Schools themselves have changed a great deal
  since the 1950s, and by the later twentieth
  century they brought a wide range of students
  together from often markedly different social
  environments.

http//law.jrank.org/pages/12100/School-Violence-C
auses-school-violence.html
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Rise of School Violence

• Differences appear in attitudes and behavior that
  can lead to social cliques or racial tensions. A
  major change was the emergence of gangs, which
  doubled between 1989 and 1993. Gang activity
  within schools included recruiting new members,
  which often led to school violence as part of
  initiation.

http//law.jrank.org/pages/12100/School-Violence-C
auses-school-violence.html
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Rise of School Violence

• In addition, illegal activities in the vicinity
  of the school increased, such as selling drugs
  and firearms.

http//law.jrank.org/pages/12100/School-Violence-C
auses-school-violence.html
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Rise of School Violence

• Yet another major factor in the rise of deadly
  school violence was the easy availability of
  firearms and other weapons. Estimates in the
  1990s on the number of weapons brought to school
  on a daily basis were staggering. The number of
  guns brought into schools on any given day ranged
  up to over 250,000 and the number of knives more
  than double that figure.

http//law.jrank.org/pages/12100/School-Violence-C
auses-school-violence.html
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Violence and Bullying Today

• How Big Is the Problem?

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Key Findings from 2005-06

• 86 percent of public schools reported that at
  least one violent crime, theft or other crime
  occurred at their school.
• 8 of students in grades 9-12 reported being
  threatened or injured with a weapon in the
  previous 12 months.
• 25 reported having drugs made available to them
  on school property.
• 28 of students ages 12-18 reported being bullied
  at school during the previous 6 months.

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Interesting Information . . .

• In 2005-2006, 24 of public schools reported that
  student bullying was a daily or weekly problem.
• 18 of public school principals reported student
  acts of disrespect for teachers
• 9 reported student verbal abuse of teachers
• 17 reported undesirable gang activities.

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of Students Reporting Robbery, Bullying,
Physical Attack
From Volokh and Snell, 1998 (1993 survey)
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• Research by the Secret Service and the U.S.
  Department of Education involving 37 school
  shootings, including Columbine, finds that about
  two-thirds of student shooters felt bullied,
  harassed, threatened or injured by others. Most
  school bullying cases do not lead to school
  shootings, but bullying is a serious and more
  common problem than previously recognized that
  can leave emotional wounds long after the
  physical wounds have healed.

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Violence and Bullying Today

• What Are the Consequences?

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Consequences of Violence

• In addition to causing injury and death, youth
  violence affects communities by increasing the
  cost of health care, reducing productivity,
  decreasing property values, and disrupting social
  services (Mercy et al, 2002).

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Secondary Effects of School Violence

• Takes away from the educational process
• Affects the behavior of students, who act
  differently to avoid the threat of violence
• Adds costs to education security systems, etc.
• Affects the health and wellness of students and
  staff

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Violence and Bullying Today

• Who?

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Early Warning Signs

• We know from research that most children who
  become violent toward self and others feel
  rejected and psychologically victimized.
• (Guerr, Huesman, Tolan, Van Acker, Eron, 1995)

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Early Warning Signs

• In most cases, children exhibit aggressive
  behavior early in life and, if not provided
  support, will continue a progressive
  developmental pattern toward severe aggression or
  violence.
• (Walker, Colvin, and Ramsey, 1995 Walker,
  Stieber, ONeill, 1990.)

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Early Warning Signs

• Social withdrawal
• Excessive feelings of isolation and being alone
• Excessive feelings of rejection
• Being a victim of violence
• Feelings of being picked on and persecuted
• Low school interest and poor academic performance

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Early Warning Signs

• Expression of violence in writings and drawings
• Uncontrolled anger
• Patterns of impulsive hitting, intimidating, and
  bullying behaviors
• History of discipline problems
• Past history of violent and aggressive behavior
• Intolerance for differences and prejudicial
  attitudes

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Early Warning Signs

• Drug and alcohol use
• Affiliation with gangs
• Inappropriate access to, possession of, and use
  of firearms
• Serious threats of violence

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Warning . . .

• This video may not be suitable for all viewers,
• but WE must not forget WE must change the
  alienating culture of our schools and make school
  a safe and supportive place for all young people.

Teen Truth Bullying School Violence
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Violence and Bullying Today

• The Solution(s)????????

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Six Pillars of Character

• Trustworthiness
• Respect
• Responsibility
• Fairness
• Caring
• Citizenship

TRRFCC