Bullying: a Social Issue That the School System Ignores
Running Head: BULLYING
Bullying: A Social Issue That the School System Ignores
“Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life, but define yourself”. – Harvey S. Firestone
The Issue Strong, influential and cruel are just some of the words that come to mind when you hear the word bully. In American culture, bullying among children and teenagers has often been dismissed as a normal part of growing up. Little attention has been paid to the devastating effects of bullying, or to the connection between bullying and other forms of violence. Bullying in the American educational system is a significant social issue that it is steadily increasing. Many experts fear bullying has become so widespread and common; the general public is blinded to its destructive and sometimes deadly nature. According to the ‘Facts about Bullying’, “…one in seven students is either a bully or victim. About 56% of students have personally witnessed some type of bullying at school, 15% of all school absenteeism is directly related to fears of being bullied at school, 71% of students report incidents of bullying as a problem at their school. One out of 20 students has seen a student with a gun at school” (Borba, 1999). Bullying can be linked to several violent acts that have occurred in many schools across the country. Bullying is also being blamed for violent acts in institutions of higher learning i.e. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). Bullying includes a wide variety of behaviors, but all involve a person or a group repeatedly trying to harm someone who is perceived to be weaker or more vulnerable. It can involve direct attacks (physical harm, intimidation, theft etc.) or more subtle, indirect attacks (such as spreading rumors or encouraging others to reject or exclude someone) (SafeYouth, n.d.). The newest form of harassment being used on today’s youth comes in the form of
Bullying: A Social Issue That the School System Ignores
“Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life, but define yourself”. – Harvey S. Firestone
The Issue Strong, influential and cruel are just some of the words that come to mind when you hear the word bully. In American culture, bullying among children and teenagers has often been dismissed as a normal part of growing up. Little attention has been paid to the devastating effects of bullying, or to the connection between bullying and other forms of violence. Bullying in the American educational system is a significant social issue that it is steadily increasing. Many experts fear bullying has become so widespread and common; the general public is blinded to its destructive and sometimes deadly nature. According to the ‘Facts about Bullying’, “…one in seven students is either a bully or victim. About 56% of students have personally witnessed some type of bullying at school, 15% of all school absenteeism is directly related to fears of being bullied at school, 71% of students report incidents of bullying as a problem at their school. One out of 20 students has seen a student with a gun at school” (Borba, 1999). Bullying can be linked to several violent acts that have occurred in many schools across the country. Bullying is also being blamed for violent acts in institutions of higher learning i.e. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). Bullying includes a wide variety of behaviors, but all involve a person or a group repeatedly trying to harm someone who is perceived to be weaker or more vulnerable. It can involve direct attacks (physical harm, intimidation, theft etc.) or more subtle, indirect attacks (such as spreading rumors or encouraging others to reject or exclude someone) (SafeYouth, n.d.). The newest form of harassment being used on today’s youth comes in the form of
References: American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (2008) Bullying. Retrieved from http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/bullying American Medical Association (2002) Bullying Behaviors Among Children and Adolescents. Retrieved from http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/14312.html Borba, M Canter, A. & Cohn, A. (2003) Bullying: Facts for Schools and Parents. National Association of School Psychologists, 4340 East West Highway, Suite 402, Bethesda, MD 20814. Retrieved from http://www.nasponline.org/resources/factsheets/bullying_fs.aspx Loseke, D Smartwood, C. (2002) Brandon’s Story. Retrieved from http://www.jaredstory.com/brandon.html Spring-Ford Area School District (2008) Spring-Ford rallies against bullying