Bullying In American Public Schools

Bullying in American Public Schools

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Abstract While school burying has been a great concern in most public schools in America, new solutions to the problems are being devised to provide parents and students with guidance and support. Efforts to educate victims and bullies are implemented through intervention programs. According to most public learning programs, school officials and parents can identify signs and behaviors suggesting incidents of bullying (Sanders, 2004). Stop Bullying Now's report indicates that bullying cases are experienced and reported after every seven minutes (Sanders, 2004). In situations where no disciplinary measures are undertaken, bullies get away with their unbecoming behaviors and are likely to repeat the actions more often. Targets feel they deserve to be bullied and associate the trend as a stage that they should go through in the academic life. To prevent and control the negative cycle of attacks and violence in the American public schools, both adults and kids should identify three types of bullying that include exclusive, verbal, and physical. Physical bullying is evident through kicking, hitting, punching, choking, and pushing. Verbal bullying involves taunting, threatening, starting rumors, hate speech, and teasing. Exclusive bullying comprises of exclusion and isolation of victims from others and rebukes. In Exclusive bullying, a child may be systematically excluded from associating with others particularly in games. Bullying leads to serious emotional and physical ramifications and in most situations is deep emotional pain and self low esteem. Introduction Although bullying may occur at any place among male and female students, research specifies particular patterns and trends of bullying behaviors. Stop Bullying Now supports that, in America schools, bullying occurs between a person with social support and more power to his victim. CNN findings in a survey called Bullying rampant in Americans schools that four out of five school students admitted in middle institution admitted of bullying once in a month (Chen, 2008). Further, investigation revealed that in 558 Midwestern schools, over 80% aggressive behavior included social ridicule, name calling, issuing threats, and physical aggression within 30 days. While it is arguable that bullying can start from kindergarten and Pre School, research shows that more incidences of bullying are reported in middle school. CNN reveals that bullies may amount close to 15% of the entire school population (Chen, 2008). In order to contain these crises in America pubic schools, CNN assert that teachers and parents should learn to cope and handle bullying behaviors. Although, various public schools in America have specific codes of conduct and consequences, there are national organizations aiming at regulating and containing bullying behaviors in public schools. This paper responds to different issues dealing with bullying in schools, overcoming bullying in schools, and possible solutions to bullying in American schools. Dealing with Bullying in School The National Center for Bullying Prevention (NCBP) is among the most national organizations aiming at assisting students learn and embrace positive behaviors to reduce bullying issues (Bloomfield, 2007). NCBP asserts that bullying appears as a big problem to address, but in realty it can be checked by people uniting and working together (Collins, 2009). In order to have the community particularly students and parents, NCBP supply the community members with articles and links for support and information. The program outlined by NCBP lists important books of, which parents can read together with their children, provides relevant bullying lesson plan essential for teachers and provides creative outlets. Alternatively, role playing activities among the students helps students to become aware and open to bullying issues. Once the America public schools incorporate this method, NCBP asserts that the students and adults are likely to realize significance outcome. Additionally, for community involvement and support, juvenile justice organization outlines strategies for controlling bullying issues in their Developing and Anti Bullying Programs (DABP). Juvenile Justice explains that over 60% of boys in American public schools are reported to have engaged in bullying activities. At the age of 25, 40 percent of the reported cases of bullying possessed criminal convictions. In a bid to contain burying hazards and issues, the juvenile justice organization has developed a Bullying Prevention Program in, which leaders strive and focuses on minimizing bullying in American public schools. The program focuses in reducing the following cases of bullying truancy, adult crimes, and violence among the students. The program is relevant and available online hence applicable to public schools within American and schools across the globe. Overcoming Bullying in School The American Commission on Civil Rights investigated bullying and peer to peer violence in public schools in may 2011 (Beane, 2010). The focus of investigation and the hearing was in a bid to have the federal respond to issues of burying directed at pupils on account of a protected class status. The commission's report was to be presented before the Congress and the President. Under the investigation, part of the hearing included witnesses from the Justice and Education Department on bullying pandemic across the middle schools. The commission further investigated the issue on First amendment concerns, federal jurisdiction on bulling, and state response on the vice (Garrett, 2003). The Commission's hearing implies the argent measures that the federal government in undertaking to contain bullying pandemic. The federal government through the Depart of Education is assisting institutions to deal with bullying pandemics (Garrett, 2003). Overcoming bullying in school may take three dimensions teachers and schools, parent of affected children, and children being bullied. In public schools, teachers must ensure that existing anti bullying policies are effective and implemented throughout the learning period. Action for regulating bullying should involve embracing a proactive mechanism to bullying, and identifying bullying cases through surveys. Creating school ethos i.e. unacceptable behavior and regarding bullying as unambiguous and developing conducive climate of support and inclusion is a remedy to bullying. Teacher should make students understand what bullying is and its consequences i.e. emotional and physical pain. Children must be empowered to repot bullying and must overcome misperceptions and myths about bulling. Parents whose children are bullied should engage their children in a friendly way to gather relevant information. Victims of bullying feels intimidated, low self esteem, and are scared of reporting their bullies. Parents need to explain the various dynamic of bullying by browsing through online services. Parents should be concerned on spotting unusual trend of behaviors i.e. secretiveness, academic performance, changes in diets and seeping patterns, and school avoidance. As for children being bullied, students must be encouraged never to assume bullying and should refuse in reacting to provocations. Students must be able to report bullying as it starts and be informed of their rights not to be harassed, abused, assaulted and bulled. Possible Solutions to Bullying in American Schools Teachers of elementary schools in America must intervene in burying cases (Moe, 2001). This may involve supplying the victims with strategies that help in handling bullying situations and adopting school wide program that prohibit bullying. American public schools should adopt Olweus Dan's bully prevention programs that successfully reduced bully issues by 50% in Norway. Oweus proposes a core program, which is simple to integrate in American public schools (Beau, 2011). This core program hardly requires a lot of material and time to change the current reality of bullying in America. Dan Olweus's program consists of the following outlines involvement and understanding of adults, better supervision during lunch time, and recess, class rules and meeting against bullying, talks with bullies, targets, and their parents, and creative solutions by teachers. Beside, teachers in American public schools must empower their students to open up bullying issues (Dunning, 2004). Bullying cases should be addressed seriously where the parents of the bullies and the target should be invited to solve the problem Conclusion Bullying is rampant and widespread in American middle schools, with over 16 percent of American school children admitting of having been physically, exclusively and emotionally bullied. NICHD report of 2001 indicates that over 10 percent of students in American public schools contended of having undergone bullying (National Institute of Health, 2001). Bullying remains as unacceptable rite of passage and is viewed as a public health issue, which should be prevented. People who experience physical and emotional bullying are likely to suffer from low self esteem and depression later in life. Bullying in pubic schools may be physical, exclusive or emotional. It is the responsibilities of the school administration to devise learning programs that reduce the bullying. Fighting against burying in American public schools should involve the efforts of parents, students, and teachers. Various organizations provide information and through programs and articles, which teaches on how to cope and eliminate bullying in schools. Victims of bullying may be reluctant to report their bullies for fearing the outcome. As such, parents should engage their children especially once they identify unusual behaviors i.e. silence, secretive behaviors, change in eating diets, and low self esteem. It is the prerogative of the federal government to ensure that schools adopt programs that prevent bulling in school. This paper has discussed how to deal, and overcome bullying particularly in American public schools.

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