4
THE BYRAM BANNER
OCTOBER 2016
History - National Bullying Prevention Month
RANDY CLARK
10 year Anniversary (2006-2016) A decade together against bullying—and united for kindness, acceptance and inclusion.
A CRISIS INTERVENTION LAW FIRM
National Bullying Prevention Month is a campaign in the United States founded in 2006 by PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center. The campaign is held during the month of October and unites communities nationwide to educate and raise awareness of bullying prevention. Initially held the first week in October, the event was expanded in 2010 to the entire month. PACER developed the initial campaign, National Bullying Prevention and Awareness Week, to raise awareness about bullying. Historically, bullying had been viewed as “a childhood rite of passage” that “made kids tougher,” but the reality has always been that bullying can leave devastating and often longterm effects such as a loss of self-esteem, increased anxiety, and depression for those involved. PACER reached out to the community through partnerships with education-based organizations such as the National PTA, the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association to provide schools, parents and students with the educational resources and support to better respond to bullying behavior. The National Bullying Prevention Center laid the groundwork so that National Bullying Prevention Month is now a nationwide call to action around educating
communities as to their roles in bullying prevention. This initiative has helped shift thinking away from bullying as “rite of passage” and toward the knowledge that bullying can be prevented and stopped through education and awareness.
National Bullying Prevention Month is recognized in communities across the United States, with hundreds of schools and organizations signing on as partners. Facebook, Disney, Instagram, CNN, TLC and Yahoo! Kids and many others have supported the month through media outreach and dissemination.
CAUSES OF BULLYING
Courtesy of nobullying.com The issue of bullying has gotten a lot of attention in recent years, but it is something that has always been around an something some most likely still think is "one of those things:." But being bullied can cause serious problems with self-esteem, and has even been a contributing factor to suicide. But like many social problems, simply declaring that bullying must stop is not enough. It is important to ask ourselves, "What are the causes of bullying?' because it is only with this knowledge that we can ultimately reduce this behavior. What makes a bully can be complex, and can include a number of factors. Some people even find themselves being occasional bullies with out even realizing it. Here's some of the things that motivate people to bully others. Sometimes the feelings of powerlessness come from a problem at home. For kids, this might be a situation such as excessive fighting in the home, parents getting a divorce, or a close family member suffering from an addiction to drugs or alcohol. For adults, problems in a marriage from disloyalty to general estrangement may lead them to exaggerate their own authority to the point of bullying. Causes of Bullying: Someone Else is Bullying Them In many cases, bullying begets bullying. A person may feel bullied by their parents, their boss, or an older sibling. Getting bullied by any of these people who are in an assumed position of authority may tempt some to claim a sort of authority for themselves through bullying, rather than reaching out for help in dealing with their own issues in a more productive way. Cyber bullying, or bullying others online is often a byproduct of someone being bullied in their offline life. Some people who are perceived as weak, or perceive themselves that way use the Internet to try and reinvent themselves into someone more powerful or intimidating, They may join open chats or forums and threaten other participants. Often cyber bullying can be an extension of real world
& Associates PLLC.
We are a law firm that handles Family Crisis problems. Whether your problem is, Divorce, Child Custody, Child Support, Guardianship, Grandparents Rights Drugs and Alcohol Addiction, Estate Problems or anything else related to these;
WE CAN HELP. If your family problem is a Drug Arrest, DUI or any other Criminal Problem;
WE CAN HELP. Has a family member been Killed or Injured in an Accident;
WE CAN HELP. If your having a family crisis, let us take the burden off you.
Family , Criminal & Injury Law
601- 373 -1088 Byram, MS
Free background information upon request bullying too, for example, hacking into a social media account in order to display negative rumors about another person. Causes of Bullying: Bullies are often jealous of or frustrated with the person they are bullying When a person picks on someone for always being the first to raise their hand in class, or getting the best grade on tests and ruining the curve, or even picking up many of the promotions at work, they may become an easy target for bullies. Some of the things that make people different are generally neutral characteristics, but some, like being smart, focused, or creative often represent attributes that the bully wishes they shared with their victims. By seeking to undermine someone else’s skills, bullies try to create a more level playing field. Causes of Bullying: Looking for Attention Some bullies would never think of themselves as bullying. They think that all they are doing is teasing a bit, and may even be trying to communicate or even befriend the person they are bullying. These social issues lead them to have trouble communicating in a healthy way and instead turn to insults or even physical violence as a way of communicating. Many times bullies are actually very lonely people who do not have many, if any, true friends and want to attract whatever attention they can. Bullies in this group are often easiest to turn around, because they may be open to the concept of "killing with kindness," A bullied person may be able to reduce the instances of bullying and even make friends with the bully my standing their ground and being nice to the bully regardless of how they are treated. BY giving the bully positive attention before they have the chance to seek negative attention, they can make things better for themselves and the bully. Causes of Bullying: Bullies come from dysfunctional families A dysfunctional family is not a guarantee that a child will become a bully. However, a large number of bullies come from homes where there is little affection and openness. They may often witness their parents being aggressive toward friends, siblings or other members of the family. Causes of Bullying: Bullies need to be in control Kids who push others around are often driven by the need for power. They enjoy being able to subdue others. These types of kids are typically impulsive and hot headed and they thrive when their victims cower in their presence. Causes of Bullying: Bullying behavior gets rewarded Most people don't do this intentionally; however, the perpetrator is inadvertently rewarded anytime victims give up their lunch money or belongings. They also get rewarded by gaining popularity, attention or the power of having others afraid of them. These unintentional
rewards reinforce bullying behavior and encourage the perpetrator to keep pushing others around. Causes of Bullying: Bullies don’t care how others feel Same children either lack empathy or just relish seeing others in pain. When they hurt someone, they have no sense of what the victims or the people around them are feeling. Sometimes a perpetrator may even get pleasure from seeing a child yelp as he kicks him down the hallway. The reactions of the victims gives the bully a sense of accomplishment, so he continues the behavior. Causes of Bullying Bullies can’t regulate their emotions. When people get frustrated and angry, they can usually stop themselves from doing things that will hurt otters. Some kids don't have the ability to regulate their emotions, small annoyances can provoke them and cause them to severely overreact. For example, a child may be innocently walking down the hall and accidentally bump into a bully. Even though the child apologizes, the bully may loose his temper and slam the victim into the wall.
• • • • • • •
Other Causes of Bullying wear glasses be less popular be over or underweight be of a different race or religion be from a different social economic background have a disability Clothes/shoes
Signs a Child is Being Bullied
Stop.bullying.gov. Look for changes in the child. However, be aware that not all children who are bullied exhibit warning signs. Some signs that may point to a bullying problem are: • Unexplainable injuries • Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewelry • Frequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling sick or faking illness • Changes in eating habits, like suddenly skipping meals or binge eating. Kids may come home from school hungry because they did not eat lunch. • Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares • Declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork, or not wanting to go to school • Sudden loss of friends or avoidance of social situations • Feelings of helplessness or decreased self esteem • Self-destructive behaviors such as running away from home, harming themselves, or talking about suicide
Signs a Child is Bullying Others Kids may be bullying others if they: Get into physical or verbal fights Have friends who bully others Are increasingly aggressive Get sent to the principal’s office or to detention frequently • Have unexplained extra money or new belongings • Blame others for their problems • Don’t accept responsibility for their actions • Are competitive and worry about their reputation or popularity Why don't kids ask for help? Statistics from the 2012 Indicators of School Crime and Safety show that an adult was notified in less than half (40%) of bullying incidents. Kids don’t tell adults for many reasons: • Bullying can make a child feel helpless. Kids may want to handle it on their own to feel in control again. They may fear being seen as weak or a tattletale. • Kids may fear backlash from the kid who bullied them. • Bullying can be a humiliating experience. Kids may not want adults to know what is being said about them, whether true or false. They may also fear that adults will judge them or punish them for being weak. • Kids who are bullied may already feel socially isolated. They may feel like no one cares or could understand. • Kids may fear being rejected by their peers. Friends can help protect kids from bullying, and kids can fear losing this support.
• • • • •
“Children cannot get a quality education if they don’t first feel safe at school.” -Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education “160,000 kids per day do not attend school for fear of being bullied.” -U.S. Dept. of Justice “The child who is overweight is the most likely to be bullied.” -Journal of Pediatrics