Bullying
Integrity/SAGA is committed to preventing the bullying of students in any form and for whatever reason. We do, of course, have particular concerns for creating safe school environments in all educational facilities and protecting LGBTQ students from physical and emotional abuse. Visit our "Archives" page to learn how we have addressed this issue locally.
Types of School Bullying
There are different categories of school bullying, and some of the categories overlap. Some of the most important categories that are frequently discussed are listed below.
How Many Bullies?
Pack bullying is bullying undertaken by a group. It is more prominent in high schools and characteristically lasts longer than bullying undertaken by individuals. Pack bullying may be either physical or emotional and may be perpetuated in person or in cyberspace. In person, it can take place in schoolyards, hallways, sports fields and gymnasiums, classrooms, and on the school bus.
Individual bullying is one-on-one bullying that may take place either in person or online, as well as being physcial or emotional bullying. It is more prevalent in elementary schools and can take place everywhere that pack bullying can, and also in smaller areas such as restrooms.
Mode of School Bullying
Physical bullying is bullying that takes the form of physical abuse, such as pushing, shoving, hitting, fighting, spitting, and tripping. Threats of physical harm and attempts to force people to act in ways they would prefer not to are also included.
Emotional bullying is bullying that involves factors other than physical interaction, such as insults, derogatory remarks, name calling, and teasing. Also included are attempts ot ostracize the victim, such as being left out or ignored, which is sometimes referred to as social bullying, as distinguished from verbal bullying. Emotional bullying could also take the form of purposely misplacing or hiding someone's belongings. Emotional bullying can be done in person or through cyberbullying.
Medium of School Bullying
Face-to-face bullying is bullying in shich students confront each other in person.
Cyberbullying is bullying that takes palce online, through either email, chat rooms, social networking services, text messages, instant messages, website postings, blogs, or a combination of means. Cyberbullies may conceal their identity so that their victim experiences an anonymous attack. The content of cyberbullying can consist of all the types of content mentioned in emotional bullying above, including posting insulting and derogatory comments to someone; sending mean or threatening messages; gossiping about someone online including posting sensitive or private information; impersonating someone in order to cast that person in a bad light; and excluding someone from on online page or group. Unwanted contact, also known as harassment, is another form of cyberbullying.
Specific Targets of School Bullying
Homophobic bullying is sometimes distinguished because it has a particular target population, as are students with disabilities and those of a different race or cultural background. Religious bullying targets people who have specific religious beliefs.
Facts About School Bullying
There is noticebly more bullying in middle school (grades 6-8) than in senior high school. Emotional bullying is the most prevalent type of bullying, with pushing/shoving/tripping/spitting on someone being second. Cyberbullying is - for the middle grade levels - the least promient type of bullying, but it is greater in the last three years of high school than in grades 6-9. Most school bullying occurs inside the school, a lesser amount on school property, and even less on the school bus. The least occurs in other areas. Middle school students, and particularly 6th graders, are most likely to be bullied on the bus. Sixth graders are the most likely students to sustain an injury from bullying, with middle schoolers more likely to be injured than high school students and the percentage going down every grade from 6 to 12.
Victims of bullying display a range of responses, even many years later, such as: low self-esteem, difficulty in trusting others, lack of assertiveness, aggression, difficulty controlling anger, and isolation.
Sources
wesleymission.org.au
stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov
nces.ed.gov
Types of School Bullying
There are different categories of school bullying, and some of the categories overlap. Some of the most important categories that are frequently discussed are listed below.
How Many Bullies?
Pack bullying is bullying undertaken by a group. It is more prominent in high schools and characteristically lasts longer than bullying undertaken by individuals. Pack bullying may be either physical or emotional and may be perpetuated in person or in cyberspace. In person, it can take place in schoolyards, hallways, sports fields and gymnasiums, classrooms, and on the school bus.
Individual bullying is one-on-one bullying that may take place either in person or online, as well as being physcial or emotional bullying. It is more prevalent in elementary schools and can take place everywhere that pack bullying can, and also in smaller areas such as restrooms.
Mode of School Bullying
Physical bullying is bullying that takes the form of physical abuse, such as pushing, shoving, hitting, fighting, spitting, and tripping. Threats of physical harm and attempts to force people to act in ways they would prefer not to are also included.
Emotional bullying is bullying that involves factors other than physical interaction, such as insults, derogatory remarks, name calling, and teasing. Also included are attempts ot ostracize the victim, such as being left out or ignored, which is sometimes referred to as social bullying, as distinguished from verbal bullying. Emotional bullying could also take the form of purposely misplacing or hiding someone's belongings. Emotional bullying can be done in person or through cyberbullying.
Medium of School Bullying
Face-to-face bullying is bullying in shich students confront each other in person.
Cyberbullying is bullying that takes palce online, through either email, chat rooms, social networking services, text messages, instant messages, website postings, blogs, or a combination of means. Cyberbullies may conceal their identity so that their victim experiences an anonymous attack. The content of cyberbullying can consist of all the types of content mentioned in emotional bullying above, including posting insulting and derogatory comments to someone; sending mean or threatening messages; gossiping about someone online including posting sensitive or private information; impersonating someone in order to cast that person in a bad light; and excluding someone from on online page or group. Unwanted contact, also known as harassment, is another form of cyberbullying.
Specific Targets of School Bullying
Homophobic bullying is sometimes distinguished because it has a particular target population, as are students with disabilities and those of a different race or cultural background. Religious bullying targets people who have specific religious beliefs.
Facts About School Bullying
There is noticebly more bullying in middle school (grades 6-8) than in senior high school. Emotional bullying is the most prevalent type of bullying, with pushing/shoving/tripping/spitting on someone being second. Cyberbullying is - for the middle grade levels - the least promient type of bullying, but it is greater in the last three years of high school than in grades 6-9. Most school bullying occurs inside the school, a lesser amount on school property, and even less on the school bus. The least occurs in other areas. Middle school students, and particularly 6th graders, are most likely to be bullied on the bus. Sixth graders are the most likely students to sustain an injury from bullying, with middle schoolers more likely to be injured than high school students and the percentage going down every grade from 6 to 12.
Victims of bullying display a range of responses, even many years later, such as: low self-esteem, difficulty in trusting others, lack of assertiveness, aggression, difficulty controlling anger, and isolation.
Sources
wesleymission.org.au
stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov
nces.ed.gov
Claim Your Rights!
BULLYING, HARRASSMENT, AND DISCRIMINATION OF LGBT STUDENTS SHOULD BE REPORTED!
Take Action!
If you have experienced school-based bullying, harassment, or discrimination, file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Education Department today.
Things to know about filing a complaint:
You are entitled to file a claim. Nearly every public school receives some level of federal funding and is therefore protected under Title IX, which entitles you to file a bullying, harassment, or discrimination claim with OCR.
Time is of essence. A complaint must be filed within 180 days of when the bullying, harassment, or discrimination occurred.
Your confidentiality is assured. Every claim remains confidential and will not be shared without permission.
A third party may file a claim on behalf of another. In other words, the person making the complaint doesn't have to be the one who experienced the harassment. A friend, family member os school faculty can file the complaint.
It's safe. The school cannot retaliate against anyone who has made a complaint, or testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in an investigation or proceeding under Title IX.
You must complete the entire form in order for the report to be counted. Make sure to fill out the entire form. Incomplete information will result in a dismissal of your complaint.
How to file a complaint:
Go to http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/complaintintro.html to file your complaint online. Read the instructions and click "Continue to Complaint Form" at the bottom of the page to get started.
Contact Us
If you have any questions on how to take action, please contact the organizations listed below. These groups can help you craft your complaint and take action soon after the incidence of bullying, harassment, or discrimination occurs.
PFLAG National
Rhodes Perry, Policy Manager
P: 202-467-8180 ext. 221
E: [email protected]
W: www.pflag.org/claimyourrights
GLSEN Public Policy
Shawn Gaylord, Director of Public Policy
P: 202-621-5822
E: [email protected]
W: www.glsen.org
Take Action!
If you have experienced school-based bullying, harassment, or discrimination, file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Education Department today.
Things to know about filing a complaint:
You are entitled to file a claim. Nearly every public school receives some level of federal funding and is therefore protected under Title IX, which entitles you to file a bullying, harassment, or discrimination claim with OCR.
Time is of essence. A complaint must be filed within 180 days of when the bullying, harassment, or discrimination occurred.
Your confidentiality is assured. Every claim remains confidential and will not be shared without permission.
A third party may file a claim on behalf of another. In other words, the person making the complaint doesn't have to be the one who experienced the harassment. A friend, family member os school faculty can file the complaint.
It's safe. The school cannot retaliate against anyone who has made a complaint, or testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in an investigation or proceeding under Title IX.
You must complete the entire form in order for the report to be counted. Make sure to fill out the entire form. Incomplete information will result in a dismissal of your complaint.
How to file a complaint:
Go to http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/complaintintro.html to file your complaint online. Read the instructions and click "Continue to Complaint Form" at the bottom of the page to get started.
Contact Us
If you have any questions on how to take action, please contact the organizations listed below. These groups can help you craft your complaint and take action soon after the incidence of bullying, harassment, or discrimination occurs.
PFLAG National
Rhodes Perry, Policy Manager
P: 202-467-8180 ext. 221
E: [email protected]
W: www.pflag.org/claimyourrights
GLSEN Public Policy
Shawn Gaylord, Director of Public Policy
P: 202-621-5822
E: [email protected]
W: www.glsen.org