Bullying

1
Bullying

• Presentation by Stan Ponder
• September 2009

2
What is bullying?

• Please take 1-2 minutes to write your own
  definition of bullying.
• Also, write a few examples of bullying.

3
Test Time!

• Feel free to answer each question silently or to
  someone else at your table.
• Ready?
• Too bad, here we go!

4
True or False?

• Over 40 of students report being bullied in
  school.
• FALSE. But 15-25 of students report being
  bullied.
• School violence and bullying are on the increase.
• FALSE. School violence has declinedbut bullying
  IS on the increase.

5
True or False?

• Boys are more likely to be bullied than girls.
• FALSE. Whereas boys are more likely to be bullied
  in younger grades, girls are just as likely to be
  bullied in middle and high school.
• Comments about sexual orientation (calling
  someone gay or a fag) is so common is often
  goes unnoticed by parents.
• TRUE. Most children dont realize the true
  meaning of these words, but the recipients of the
  insults may.

6
True or False?

• Most bullying takes place in the bathroom or
  school bus.
• TRUE.
• The best advice for someone being bullied is to
  tell the teacher or principal.
• FALSE. Sometimes, this can lead to further
  bullying. Gather more information before deciding
  the best solution.

7
True or False?

• Students who are bullied may be depressed, fake
  illness to avoid school, and even contemplate
  suicide.
• TRUE.
• If someone is physically hitting your child,
  standing up for themselves will scare the other
  child away.
• FALSE. This may work, but can also lead to
  suspensions or group retaliations.

8
True or False?

• Children who witness bullying should stay out of
  the situation and tell an adult when possible.
• FALSE. If the attack is verbal or on the
  computer, students should discourage the bullying
  whenever possible.
• Cyberbullying is only on websites like Facebook
  or MySpace.
• FALSE. E-mail, websites, blogs, or other sites
  can be used to bully or display mean messages
  that may not be sent directly to the target.

9
True or False?

• Cyberbullying is illegal.
• TRUE. In many states, many laws are going into
  action making it easier to prosecute with
  criminal charges to adultsor parents of minors.
• Girls are more likely to cyberbully than boys.
• TRUEabout twice as likely.

10
True or False?

• If I monitor my child at home, they cannot
  cyberbully or be bullied.
• FALSE. Students are goodand cell phones can be
  used to cyberbully. Education on its effects are
  the key!
• Talking and providing proof of cyberbullying to
  the childs parents is a good idea.
• TRUE. Even if you do it in writing, giving the
  parents the first opportunity to stop the
  bullying is your best advice.

11
True or False?

• My child is a good student, and would never
  bully.
• FALSE. Some children dont realize that they are
  bullying others. Even good kids may bully
  others.
• Role playing is a good way to practice how to
  react to bullying or being bullied, and reactions
  to it.
• TRUE. This can help keep your emotions in check!
  Calmness is key.

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Role playing!

• Situation 1 Your child refuses to play with
  another neighborhood child, saying hes gay.
• Situation 2 Your child comes home and says a kid
  in class is picking on him all the time, and the
  teacher is not doing anything about it.

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Role playing!

• Situation 3 The school calls and says your child
  is part of a group of children that are excluding
  others by making fun of physical appearance.
• Situation 4 A parent says your child is sending
  hateful e-mails to their child, and gives you
  copies. You dont think that what your child says
  is that bad.

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Bullying

• Can be
• Physical
• Verbal
• Emotional
• Cyber
• Long-term
• Unintentional

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If my child is being bullied

• Stay calm and get full details.
• Talk to others (or their parents) of witnesses to
  get their stories as well.
• Other parents should be the FIRST ones to be
  given the opportunity to stop the problem.
• If not solved, talk to teachers, bus drivers, or
  principals to be sure they are aware. Remember,
  if we discipline, we cannot share details!
• Give your child assistance in how to overcome
  bullying (do not tell them to fight back). Role
  playing can help!

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If my child is said to be bullying

• Educate rather than punish. Punishing could only
  make the actions worse.
• Believe parents or teachers that contact you.
  What do they have to gain by sharing their
  concerns?
• Work with your child to insure they understand
  why their behaviors are not acceptable.
• Put yourself in the other childs (or parents)
  shoes!

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What does the district do?

• Elementary Policy bullying is defined as
  intimidation or harassment of a student(and)
  includes, but is not limited to physical
  actions, including violence, gestures, theft, or
  damaging property oral or written taunts,
  including name-calling, put-downs, extortion, or
  threats or threats of retaliation for reporting
  such acts. Bullying may also include
  cyberbullying or cyberthreats.
• First offense Principal/student conference,
  in-school suspension, or up to 10 days
  out-of-school suspension.
• Subsequent offense In-school suspension or up to
  180 days out-of-school suspension, or expulsion,
  and possible documentation in the students
  discipline record. (From Student/Parent
  Handbook, p. 13)

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What does the district do?

• Middle School Policy is the same.
• First offense In-school suspension or up to 180
  days out-of-school suspension.
• Subsequent offense Up to 180 days out-of-school
  suspension or expulsion. (From WMS Student
  Handbook, p. 21)

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Now that you know all of this

• Does it change your responses to your role
  playing?

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The only way to stop the problem is never to
ignore it!

• Questions?

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Resources

• American Academy of Child and Adolescent
  Psychology. http//www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for
  _families/bullying
• United States Department of Health and Human
  Services. http//stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/kids/
• Nemours, TeenHealth division. http//kidshealth.or
  g/teen/your_mind/problems/bullies.html
• PBS. http//pbskidschannel.org/itsmylife/friends/b
  ullies/index.html

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Before you leave

• Please fill out a little of what you may have
  learned from tonight, as well as any other
  questions you may still have.
• I may not have the answer, but I will look for
  it!
• THANK YOU!