Anti-Bullying Special Section

What is Bullying?

Bullying is a form of youth violence and an adverse childhood experience (ACE). CDC defines bullying as any unwanted aggressive behavior(s) by another youth or group of youths, who are not siblings or current dating partners, that involves an observed or perceived power imbalance, and is repeated multiple times or is highly likely to be repeated. Bullying may inflict harm or distress on the targeted youth including physical, psychological, social, or educational harm.

Common Types of Bullying Include: Physical, Verbal, Social and Cyber. See examples of each on page

The cONSeqUeNceS Of BULLYING

Bullying can result in physical injury, social and emotional distress, self-harm, and even death. It also increases the risk for depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, lower academic achievement, and dropping out of school. Youth who bully others are at increased risk for substance misuse, academic

problems, and experiencing violence later in adolescence and adulthood. Youth who bully others and are bullied themselves suffer the most serious consequences and are at greater risk for mental health and behavioral problems. Source: www.cdc.gov

About 20% of students ages 12-18 experienced bullying nationwide.

3.

types of bullying

Sometimes referred to as relational bullying, involves hurting someone’s reputation or relationships. Social bullying includes:

• Leaving someone out on purpose

• Telling other children not to be friends with someone

• Spreading rumors about someone

• Embarrassing someone in public

Verbal bullying is saying or writing mean things. Verbal bullying includes:

• Teasing

• Name-calling

• Inappropriate sexual comments

• Taunting

• Threatening to cause harm

Physical bullying involves hurting a person’s body or possessions. Physical bullying includes:

• Hitting/kicking/ pinching

• Spitting

• Tripping/pushing

• Taking or breaking someone’s things

• Making mean or rude hand gestures

Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets. Cyber bullying includes:

• Posting comments or rumors about someone online that are mean, hurtful, or embarrassing.

• Threatening to hurt someone or telling them to kill themselves.

• Posting a mean or hurtful picture or video.

• Pretending to be someone else online in order to solicit or post personal or false information about someone else.

sOcial bullying verbal bullying physical bullying cyber bullying

how much does bullying effect youth?

Bullying is widespread in the United States. Bullying negatively impacts all youth involved including those who are bullied, those who bully others, and those who witness bullying, known as bystanders.

• Bullying is common. About 1 in 5 high school students reported being bullied on school property. More than 1 in 6 high school students reported being bullied electronically in the last year.

• some youth experience Bullying more than others.

Nearly 40% of high school students who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual and about 33% of those who were not sure of their sexual identity experienced bullying at school or electronically in the last year, compared to 22% of heterosexual high school students. About 30% of female high school students experienced bullying at school or electronically in the last year, compared to about 19% of males. Nearly 29% of White high school students experienced bullying at school or electronically in the last year compared to about 19% of Hispanic and 18% of Black high school students.

• Bullying is a frequent discipline proBlem.

Nearly 14% of public schools report that bullying is a discipline problem occurring daily or at least once a week.

• Reports of bullying are highest in middle schools (28%) followed by high schools (16%), combined schools (12%), and primary schools (9%).

• Reports of cyberbullying are highest in middle schools (33%) followed by high schools (30%), combined schools (20%), and primary schools (5%).

1 in 5 high studentsschool reported being bullied at school in the last year.

More than 1 in 6 high school students reported being cYBerBULLIed in the last year

WhO IS aT rISk

No single factor puts a child at risk of being bullied or bullying others. Bullying can happen anywhere—cities, suburbs, or rural towns. Depending on the environment, some groups—such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning (LGBTQ) youth, youth with disabilities, and socially isolated youth—may be at an increased risk of being bullied. Stigma can also spread false and harmful information that can lead to increasing rates of bullying, harassment, and hate crimes against certain groups of people.

c hildren at risk Of being bullied

Generally, children who are bullied have one or more of the following risk factors:

• Are perceived as different from their peers, such as being overweight or underweight, wearing glasses or different clothing, being new to a school, or being unable to afford what kids consider “cool”

• Are perceived as weak or unable to defend themselves

• Are depressed, anxious, or have low self esteem

• Are less popular than others and have few friends

• Do not get along well with others, seen as annoying or provoking, or antagonize others for attention

However, even if a child has these risk factors, it doesn’t mean that they will be bullied.

c hildren mOre likely tO bully Others

There are two types of kids who are more likely to bully others:

• Some are well-connected to their peers, have social power, are overly concerned about their popularity, and like to dominate or be in charge of others.

• Others are more isolated from their peers and may be depressed or anxious, have low self esteem, be less involved in school, be easily pressured by peers, or not identify with the emotions or feelings of others.

Children who have these factors are also more likely to bully others;

• Are aggressive or easily frustrated

• Have less parental involvement or having issues at home

• Think badly of others

• Have difficulty following rules

• View violence in a positive way

• Have friends who bully others

Remember, those who bully others do not need to be stronger or bigger than those they bully. The power imbalance can come from a number of sources—popularity, strength, cognitive ability—and children who bully may have more than one of these characteristics.

“Be on guard. Stand true to what you believe. Be courageous. Be strong. And everything you do must be done in love.”

Bullying faST facTS

Approximately 46% of students ages 12-18 who were bullied during the school year notified an adult at school about the bullying.

Among students ages 12-18 who reported being bullied at school during the school year, 15% were bullied online or by text.

An estimated 14.9% of high school students were electronically bullied in the 12 months prior to the survey.

How common is bullying? Bullying in Schools

About 20% of students ages 12-18 experienced bullying nationwide.

Had more social influence (50%).

Had the ability to influence other students’ perception of them (56%).

Nationwide, 19% of students in grades 9–12 report being bullied on school property in the 12 months prior to the survey.

Classroom (42.1%).

Were physically stronger or larger (40%).

Students ages 12–18 who reported being bullied said they thought those who bullied them:

Hallway or stairwell (43.4%).

Bathroom or locker room (12.1%).

Cafeteria (26.8%).

The following percentages of students ages 12-18 had experienced bullying in various places at school:

Somewhere else in the school building (2.1%).

Had more money (31%). Online or text (15.3%).

Outside on school grounds (21.9%).

be the change.

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how to create a safe space for LGBTq youth

It is important to build a safe environment for all LGBTQI+ youth. Parents, schools, and communities can all play a role in preventing bullying and helping LGBTQI+ youth feel physically and emotionally safe.

• encourage respect for all students.

• prohibit bullying, harassment, and violence against all students.

• conduct social-emotional learning activities in school to foster peer-relationships and help students develop empathy.

• identify "safe spaces," such as counselors' offices or designated classrooms, where LGBTQI+ youth can receive support from administrators, teachers, or other school staff.

• encourage student-led and student-organized school clubs that promote a safe, welcoming, and accepting

school environment (e.g., gay-straight alliances or gender and sexuality alliances). Schools must allow these clubs or groups if they have other "noncurricular" clubs or groups. Learn more about the right to form a GSA under the Equal Access Act.

• ensure that health curricula or educational materials include HIV, other STD/STI, and pregnancy prevention information that is relevant to LGBTQI+ youth.

• use inclusive language and avoid making assumptions. The words we use can make help people feel

acknowledged and create a sense of belonging. For example, using "y'all" when referring to a group conveys gender equality rather than using "guys." Use gender-neutral pronouns like "they" or "them" instead of "he/she" or "him/her." You can also use words like "parent" instead of "mother" and "father."

• use students' chosen names and pronouns.

• train school staff on how to create safe and supportive school environments for all students, including LGBTQI+ youth.

• facilitate access to community-based providers who have experience providing health services, including medical, counseling, social, and psychological services, and HIV/STI testing for LGBTQI+ youth.

By terry miller

sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.

false!

bullying is just a part of growing up. false!

all bullying happens in person. false!

In recent years, bullying has become much more than the mean kid on the playground. It is pervasive in our society among both children and adults and happens in schools, neighborhoods, at home, the internet, at work and many other societal systems. It is detrimental to individual lives and to society.

In 2013, the State of Indiana recognized the harmful consequences of bullying on individuals and passed House Enrolled Act 1423. The legislation sets forth requirements for schools to provide age appropriate, research-based

instruction to their students about bullying. This is why each school in Hancock County supplies anti-bullying instruction to their students each fall. These instructions are proactive in nature and concentrate on subjects like how to treat others nicely with words and actions, conflict resolution and intervening with students and allowing them to share what they would do if they or others were faced with bullying.

Bullying comes in different forms: verbal, physical, social, and/or cyber. Bullies hurt others with their words, their bodies, their actions and gestures, their facial expressions and while they are on the internet, as well. All forms of bullying, whether done by a male or female, significantly impacts the person on the receiving end.

By its very nature, bullying is a repeated act. It happens over and over and affects a target socially, emotionally, physically and academically. Some of the detrimental effects of bullying has been interfering with the student’s ability to learn, attendance problems at school, physical and emotional scars, thoughts of being unpopular, ugly or stupid which initiate feelings of isolation, depression, anger, embarrassment, revenge or self-harm. Imagine the pain of living with these feelings every day.

Bullying is not something that one “just gets over." It can continue to impact throughout a lifetime. A good example of this: Think about the first mean thing you remember being said to you. How old were you? And how old are you now? Taking the two numbers, it is easy to figure out how long you have remembered

those mean words that were said to you. Chances are you also remember the location and circumstances of that event. If a chance situation can be remembered for that long, think about how purposeful mean and repeated acts/words from someone or a group who have perceived power over you might feel.

The best way to combat bullying is to be initiativetaking. Teach your child to be strong and kind. Good friends don’t bully. Talk with the children about computer ethics and establish rules of conduct and consequences for misuse. Check to see what your children are doing or saying on the internet and what is being said to them.

Because children watch our responses to situations and then act as we do, it is important that we act as good role models. We must show our children that it is never okay to demean another person through words or actions. When there are conflicts to be solved, we must do so in a peaceful and respectful way. From a young age, our children need to be taught the skills of problem solving and conflict resolution. These skills are ones that will help them now and, in the future, no matter their age or situation.

It is important for adults to set firm limits and consistent consequences for unacceptable behavior at home or school. And we should also expect that mistakes will be made and know that do-overs are necessary when learning. People learn through their mistakes, and they are to be expected.

A respect for differences and tolerance must also

be taught. Even though we look different from one another, wear different clothing, have different customs or eat different foods, we are all the same on the inside and we all have feelings, want to be liked, feel safe and respected.

For those who experience or witness bullying, they must be taught that their voices have power. Assertiveness is a valuable skill.

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Many schools now have a motto and the one I am most familiar with is “Be Respectful, Be Responsible, and Be Ready to Learn.” When our children follow this, or another similar, theme, they will become individuals who respect themselves, others, and property, take responsibility for their choices and are ready to be lifelong learners.

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Wednesday 5:45PM

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All Week – All Hours Recovery Coaching Call for Availability!

Terry Miller, a licensed clinical social worker, is a school social worker at Weston Elementary School in Greenfield.

“the best way to combat bullying is to be initiative-taking. teach your child to be strong and kind. good friends don’t bully.”

EastErn Hancock scHools

A letter from soutHErn Hancock scHools

There is a noticeable source of pride that exists within the Eastern Hancock community. Among other things, our Royal Pride stems from the unique, family-like environment that comes from being small enough to fit on one campus and under one roof.

This small-school feel and sense of community has so many benefits!  From a young age, students learn to look after each other and treat others like they would want to be treated. They also learn to view school as a place where they are safe and comfortable. However, as is the case everywhere, conflict happens. Most of the time unpleasant exchanges between students do not rise to a level where they would be considered “bullying.” However, we know that bullying sometimes happens, and we are committed to addressing it when it occurs.

Eastern Hancock provides learning opportunities to help students and staff understand how to properly identify the various forms of bullying. We also provide training on how individuals should go about reporting bullying. Opportunities to anonymously report bullying are provided and incidents of suspected bullying are taken very seriously when reported. Most importantly, we work hard to create a culture of kindness at Eastern Hancock that allows us to prevent many bullying behaviors before they start.

As parents, we all want to send our students to school knowing they are looked after and loved by the adults in charge of caring for them during the school day. We want them to make friends, be involved, and love their school experience. We also want them to feel successful each day, and acquire the knowledge and attributes they will use as successful adults. October is a month where we are extra mindful of bullying, but these things happen at Eastern Hancock every day!

A letter from

The Community School Corporation of Southern Hancock County is working hard to create a culture of kindness in our schools and in our community. The safety and well-being of every student is always our number one priority.

Anti-bullying tools are an essential part of the curriculum we teach in our classrooms each day. Students receive instruction on different aspects of bullying prevention, such as defining bullying, reporting bullying, and intervening and diffusing a bullying situation. CSCSHC staff and administrators also receive training on how to identify, investigate, and stop bullying situations.

New Palestine High School has a student club called Bring Change 2 Mind, which advocates for student mental health, well-being and improving the culture of our schools. Students work collaboratively with their peers to share a message of kindness, acceptance and that bullying will not be tolerated here.

Our goal in Southern Hancock Schools is to prevent bullying behaviors before they start. When they do happen, they are taken seriously. Anonymous reporting is available on every school’s website and on the Southern Hancock mobile app. Students can complete a bullying report form for themselves or another victim. These reports are investigated immediately, and appropriate actions are taken to keep our students safe. Our schools have instituted a number of positive behavior programs to reward kindness and good citizenship that encourage excellence in behavior. We know we are all responsible for putting an end to bullying. If you see bullying take place, don’t be a bystander. Help the victim and report the behavior immediately to a staff member or administrator. Together, we can be #newpalproud of our culture of kindness!

Dr. Lisa Lantrip

changes in yOur child’s Online behaviOr

Is your child suddenly spending noticeably more or less time on social media, online gaming, or on their mobile phone?

signs Of distress

After using their mobile phone, console or computer does your child become annoyed, seem stressed, or look flustered and confused?

sudden interest in security Or safety features

Has your child asked you about closing down social media accounts, or about security features such as blocking other account holders or certain phone numbers?

becOming increasingly withdrawn

Has your child reduced their usual social activities such as going out

is my child being cyberbullied?

shopping and meeting friends? Changes in offline activities can be a sign of online problems.

regular Or unusual bOuts Of illness

Has there been an increase in headaches, stomach upsets or other ailments? Sometimes, online bullying and harassment can manifest themselves in genuine illnesses through a combination of stress, lack of sleep and inability to eat healthy foods. Sometimes illnesses can be faked to avoid certain situations such as school and other public places.

pOOr Or declining schOOl attendance and perfOrmance

Is your child increasingly late for school or off ‘sick’? has there been a decline in the standard of schoolwork? If your child is being bullied or blackmailed on the internet, they might be finding it hard to concentrate on anything else.

nOticeably different level Of secrecy

Does your child suddenly act secretively when using their console, computer or mobile phone? For example, do they close down the computer or hang up the phone mid-conversation when you walk in the room? Try and be aware of changes in the way they behave around their devices.

self -esteem prOblems

Has your child started to put themselves down verbally or show other signs of low self-esteem? Cyberbullying and abuse online can seriously affect children’s selfconfidence and self-esteem.

relatiOnship break-up

Has your child recently broken up with a girlfriend or boyfriend? When relationships go wrong, arguments can be played out over the internet and by phone. Relationship breakdowns in school environments can lead to online hate campaigns.

lack Of sleep Or lOss Of appetite

Is your child having trouble sleeping or suffering from a sudden loss of appetite? Or is your child having excessive mood swings? Although these can all be put down to ‘teenage‘ issues – they can also be indicative of problems such as cyberbullying and online abuse.

grEEnfiEld-cEntral scHools A letter from

October is National Bullying Prevention Month, and many schools throughout the United States increase their efforts in awareness at this particular time of the school year. In Greenfield-Central specifically, we strive to create and maintain a “bully-free environment” throughout the year, not simply during this month. Therefore, we take a number of deliberate steps to control the factors we can control to achieve this objective.

First and foremost, all staff members are trained to recognize the various forms of bullying, how to respond when it occurs, and how to be proactive in establishing routines to eliminate (or significantly reduce) these types of unwanted behaviors in the school setting. We are very clear about our expectations, and we remind our faculty and staff about them on a regular basis.

Specific to our students, they hear a consistent message in our schools that focuses on acceptance, inclusiveness and being cordial to their peers. This message is posted in student handbooks and in various places throughout our schools. It is reinforced by teachers in all classrooms, and students are given opportunities to provide input and seek guidance in this area from a number of trained staff members.

Beyond these general measures, our schools have many other things in place to help us achieve our goal for a positive school climate for all students throughout the year:

• Students are rewarded for positive, inclusive behavior.

• Classroom activities related to the topic of bullying are conducted periodically.

• Guest speakers and convocations are used as a resource to promote healthy social relationships among students.

In Greenfield-Central Schools, students imagine and explore amazing avenues for achievement — from preschool through graduation.

• National Blue Ribbon, Four Star, and “A”-Rated Schools

• Four tiers of developmental learning approaches: K–3, 4–6, 7–8, 9–12

• Specialized programs for the full spectrum of exceptional learners

• Innovative academics in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)

• Award-winning music, drama, athletic, and academic teams • K-12 commitment to digital literacy

• An anonymous bullying report system is in place on the corporation website.

• All reports of bullying are investigated by professional staff.

• Video surveillance cameras are in place in hallways and all school buses.

• Guidance counselors, social workers and school resource officers support students and staff with preventive strategies for students.

• Social workers include presentations on friendship and how to build healthy relationships with other people as a strategy to reduce bullying.

• Cyber-bullying is addressed in our digital citizenship curriculum for all students in grades 6-12.

In Greenfield-Central, we want all of our students to have a positive experience in our schools.

Of course we want our students to grow academically, socially, emotionally and physically during the thirteen years that we have them in our care. In order for that to happen at an optimal level, students must feel safe, supported and valued at every step of the venture.

On behalf of the entire Greenfield-Central faculty and staff, you have our commitment to help each student in their educational journey, and that is why we support awareness of this national event.

Yours in education,

Dr. Harold E. Olin

The reLaTIONShIP BeTWeeN BULLYING aNd SUIcIde

Recent attention focused on the relationship between bullying and suicide is positive and helpful because it:

1. Raises awareness about the serious harm that bullying does to all youth involved in bullying in any way.

2. Highlights the significant risk for our most vulnerable youth (e.g. youth with disabilities, youth with learning differences, LGBTQ youth).

3. Encourages conversation about the problem of bullying and suicide and promotes collaboration around prevention locally and nationally.

However, framing the discussion of the issue as bullying being a single, direct cause of suicide is not helpfuland is potentially harmfulbecause it could:

1. Perpetuate the false notion that suicide is a natural response to being bullied which has the dangerous potential to normalize the response and thus create copycat behavior

2. Encourage sensationalized reporting and contradicts the Recommendations for Reporting on Suicide (http:// reportingonsuicide.org) potentially encouraging copycat behavior that could lead to “suicide contagion.

3. Focus the response on blame and punishment which misdirects the attention from getting the needed support and treatment to those who are bullied as well as those who bully others.

4. Take attention away from other important risk factors for suicidal behavior that need to be addressed (e.g. substance abuse, mental illnesses, problems coping with disease/ disability, family dysfunction, etc.)

Still, a report of a young person who takes his/her own life and leaves a note pointing directly to the suffering and pain they have endured because of bullying is shocking and heartbreaking. While a young person’s death by suicide is a tragedy and both bullying and suicide-related behavior are serious public health problems, our

situations must reflect a balanced understanding of the issues informed by the best available research.

It is particularly important to understand the difference between circumstances being related to an event versus being direct causes or effects of the event. To explore this idea, let’s look at a similar but much simpler example: In the case of drowning deaths among children, those who are not directly supervised by a competent adult while swimming are more likely to die by drowning than those children who are directly supervised. While the lack of adult supervision does not directly cause a child to drown, it is a critical circumstance that can affect the outcome of the situation

.Just as with preventing deaths by drowning, for bullying and suicide prevention, the more we understand about the relationship between circumstances and outcomes the better decisions we can make about what actions to take to prevent bullying and suicide-related behavior

So, if bullying doesn’t directly cause suicide, what do we know about how bullying and suicide are related?

Bullying and suicide-related behavior are both complex public health problems. Circumstances that can affect a person’s vulnerability to either or both of these behaviors exist at a variety of levels of influence—individual, family, community, and society. These include:

• emotional distress

• exposure to violence

• family conflict

• relationship problems

• ack of connectedness to school/sense of supportive school environment

• alcohol and drug use

• physical disabilities/learning differences

• lack of access to resources/ support.

If, however, students experience the opposite of some of the circumstances listed above (e.g. family support rather than family conflict; strong school connectedness rather than lack of connectedness), their risk for suicide-related behavior and/ or bullying others—even if they experience bullying behavior— might be reduced. These types of circumstances/situations or behaviors are sometimes referred to as “protective factors.” In reality, most students have a combination of risk and protective factors for bullying behavior and suicide-related behavior. This is one of the reasons that we emphasize that the relationship between the two behaviors and their health outcomes is not simple. The ultimate goal of our prevention efforts is to reduce risk factors and increase protective factors as much as possible. The bottom-line of the most current research findings is that being involved in bullying in any way—as a person who bullies, a person who is bullied, or a person who both bullies and is bullied (bully-victim)—is ONE of several important risk factors that appears to increase the risk of suicide among youth.

A letter from

Mt. VErnon coMMunity scHools

At Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation, we recognize that receiving an education should be an enjoyable, safe experience for all kids. We constantly work hard to provide a healthy learning environment for all our students--from preschoolers to high school seniors.

In order to create a positive classroom experience where students feel safe, we support students with learning the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. Empathy is one of the most important and valuable emotional skills that we aspire to teach our students. This trait is crucial for kids to learn at a young age in order to form healthy relationships now and in the future. One of the ways Mt. Vernon is instilling positive behaviors by using proactive strategies with a program called Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®).

Our staff members consistently set examples of kindness, respectfulness, and selflessness and strive to set students up for social and academic success in both the present and the future. Mt. Vernon strives to instill a love of learning in a safe environment while teaching students how to have healthy relationships and that being a bully isn’t ever the solution.

Additionally, we make sure all students know that Mt. Vernon teachers’ and guidance counselors’ doors are always open for any students who are experiencing or witnessing bullying.

Bring Change 2 Mind (BC2M) is a club formed at Mt. Vernon which is dedicated to spreading awareness about mental health, showing kindness, and creating an atmosphere of inclusion. This initiative not only counteracts bullying, but prevents it from the start. This is just one example of how our students are willing to work together to take down bullying with kindness.

At Mt. Vernon, anti-bullying isn’t simply a month-long initiative. We work all year long to support our students and maintain an anti-bully atmosphere, where no student is left behind. We endeavor to create a climate of acceptance, dignity, and value for each of our students.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jack Parker, MVCSC Superintendent