Anti-Bullying Special Section

Everyone can play a role in intervention and prevention

STOP BULLYING!

“It is up to us to set the tone for how we treat one another. We have a simple guide: treat others as you wish to be treated. Together, we can maintain our city’s welcoming, inclusive attitude. Columbus has welcomed newcomers to our community for decades and as your chief economic development officer, I must remind you it’s good for business. Our economy depends on folks who want to live here and feel welcome. We are the American melting pot. Right here. Right now. Columbus made the same decision in the 1940s when we opened Donner Pool for everyone; we are every bit that wise today.”

– Mayor Jim Lienhoop, State of the City Address, March 9, 2017

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 such as hitting, kicking, and tripping

• VERBAL including namecalling and teasing

• RELATIONAL/SOCIAL such as spreading rumors and leaving out of the group

• DAMAGE to property of the victim

Bullying can also occur through technology, which is called electronic bullying or cyberbullying. A young person can be a perpetrator, a victim, or both (also known as “bully/ victim”. (Source: www.cdc.gov)

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.

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

•

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%). (Source: www.cdc.gov)

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

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

(source: stopbullying.gov)

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)

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 helpful and is potentially harmful because 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 among youth.

2. Encourage

sensationalized reporting and contradicts the Recommendation 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 personʼs death by suicide is a tragedy and both bullying and suicide-related behavior are serious public health problems, our

response to such 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, letʼs 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 suiciderelated behavior.

So, if bullying doesnʼt 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 personʼs 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

• lack 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 bottomline 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.

(Source: www.cdc.gov)

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.

CHILDREN 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 doesnʼt mean that they will be bullied.

CHILDREN 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.

(Source: www.cdc.gov)

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 socialemotional 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 studentorganized school clubs that promote a safe, welcoming, and accepting school environment (e.g., gaystraight alliances or gender and sexuality alliances). Schools must allow these clubs or groups if they have other "non-curricular" 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 communitybased providers who have experience providing health services, including medical, counseling, social, and psychological services, and HIV/STI testing for LGBTQI+ youth.

(source: stopbullying.gov)

types of bullying

Social bullying sometimes referred to as relational bullying, involves hurting someoneʼs 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 personʼs body or possessions. Physical bullying includes:

• Hitting/kicking/ pinching

• Spitting

• Tripping/pushing

• Taking or breaking someoneʼs things

• Making mean or rude hand gestures

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

how can we prevent bullying?

Bullying is preventable. There are many factors that may increase or decrease the risk for perpetrating or experiencing bullying. To prevent bullying, we must understand and address the factors that put people at risk for or protect them from violence. The CDC developed, Youth Violence

Prevention Resource for Action, helps communities take advantage of the best available evidence to prevent youth violence. This resource is also available in Spanish and can be used as a tool in efforts to impact individual behaviors as well as the relationship, family, school, community, and

societal risk and protective factors for violence. The approaches in this resource, particularly universal school-based programs that strengthen youthsʼ skills and modify the physical and social environment, have been shown to reduce violence and bullying or key risk factors.

Different types of violence are connected and often share root causes. Bullying is linked to other forms of violence through shared risk and protective factors. Addressing and preventing one form of violence may have an impact on preventing other forms of violence.

(Source: www.cdc.gov)

•

• Parenting skill and family relationship programs

Provide quality education early in life

• Preschool enrichment with family engagement

Srengthen youth’s skills

• Universal school-based programs

Connect youth to caring adults and activities

• Mentoring programs

• After-school programs

Create protective community environments

• Modify the physical and social environment

• Reduce exposure to community-level risks

is my child being cyberbullied?

SIGNS THAT YOUR CHILD IS

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 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 ʻsickʼ? 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 midconversation 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 selfesteem? Cyberbullying and abuse online can seriously affect childrenʼs self-confidence 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 ʻteenageʻ issues – they can also be indicative of problems such as cyberbullying and online abuse.

(Source: www.cybersmile.org)

BEING CYBERBULLIED

Bullies in Bartholomew

The Center of Disease Control (CDC) defines bullying as any unwanted aggressive behavior(s) by another youth or group of youths, who are not siblings or current dating partners, which involves an observed or perceived power imbalance, and is repeated multiple times or is highly likely to be repeated.

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

Since 2014, bullying incidents have dramatically declined in Indiana from 9,597 confirmed incidents to 5,460 confirmed incidents reported in 2022-23. However, the 2022-2023 school year saw an increase across all bullying incident categories from the

prior year with verbal incidents representing the greatest number of incidents, as is historically the case. This data shows that bullying continues to be a concern in all schools in Indiana.

Based on the incident reports from the 202223 Indiana Department of Education (IDOE), Bartholomew Countyʼs Clifty Creek and Parkside Elementary schools reported one incident of verbal bullying each, while Central Middle School reported one incident of social/relational bullying and one incident of written/ electronic bullying and Northside Middle School reported two incidents of written/electronic bullying. Columbus North High School reported one incident of physical bullying and one verbal incident and Columbus East High School reported two combination incidents, which means there is more than one type of bullying involved in the incident. Rock Creek Elementary Schoolʼs ʼ22-23 bullying report hasnʼt been published publicly yet but in ʼ21 there were six bullying incidents reported. Lillian Schmitt Elementary School reported 13 bullying incidents last year compared to one in ʼ21.

In comparison to some school districts, the reported bullying incidents in

Bartholomew County are low, which is great news and a direct reflection of all the hard work and dedication from all at the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation. However, according to the National Bullying Prevention Center, 64% of students who are bullied do not report it. So we must look at other statistics like frequent and unexcused absenteeism, suspensions from incidents on and off campus, which have risen from last year. These are not only signs of bullying but signs of abuse at home and much more. So there is still much work to be done, but families and teachers and administrators must and will continue to strive and work for what is best for our children because they are worth it.

Information on how to prevent, respond to, and report incidents of bullying should be reflected in training provided to educators. Schools should also continue to review their bullying policies and procedures and ensure proper implementation to prevent and respond to incidents of bullying. Several training sessions for the 2022-2023 school year focused on a variety of bullying types.

The Indiana School Safety Specialist Academy conducted training on the topics of threat assessment, sexting,

cyberbullying and harassment.

For the 2023-2024 school year, the Indiana School Safety Specialist Academy will continue to provide training on bullying, bullying definitions and cyberbullying. Additional training focused on all types of bullying should be considered by local school corporations. IC 20-19-3-11.5 also requires the IDOE to maintain a link on its website that provides parents and school officials with resources regarding the prevention and reporting of bullying and cyberbullying incidents.

(This resource can be reached at: www.in.gov/doe/students/ school-safety-and-wellness/studentsafetybullying-reporting Sources: DOE: Home (in.gov) www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/ youthviolence/bullyingresearch/ fastfact.html)