The community needs to work together to create a continuing force against bullying in our country’s schools (FGCU, Katie Afflerback)

Claim:  The community needs to work together to create a continuing force against bullying in our country’s schools. 

Suggested Reading: ERIC Clearinghouse on Counseling and Student Services Greensboro NC. Coy, Doris Rhea, 2001.Bullying in schools has been a persistent social problem that needs immediate focus. It is the community’s job to address and improve upon this problem; parents have the responsibility of teaching their children values and monitoring their behavior and schools have the responsibility of creating a safe environment for their students. “American homes and schools do not provide negative consequences for bullies and society sees bullying as transient or inconsequential” (Coy). The reading goes on to explore why children become bullies. Child rearing influences, such as not receiving enough love and attention from one’s parents, or the parents’ failure to set reasonable limits for their kids; characteristics of the child, like aggression and hyperactivity, difficulty adapting to new situations, irregular eating and sleeping habits, or negative moods; and factors of the environment, how bullying is regarded in homes and schools, as well as the amount of violence kids are exposed to through video games, television, and movies. Schools must establish a “whole-school approach” to bullying.  This means establishing an awareness of the bullying problem and evaluating how the school’s teachers and staff are enabling it by turning a blind eye or not being consistent or severe  enough with their punishments. Just being aware of the problem of bullying as it occurs both within and outside of the school can help reduce the act. Increasing school safety features, such as video monitoring, can provide more protection to students, suggests Coy.

A 2009 study found that one-third of America’s school students report being bullied at least once a month and six out of 10 say they witness someone being bullied daily. 3.2 million kids in grades 6-10 say they’re a victim of bullying each day.

 -FGCU, Katie Afflerback

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