Bullying on the Rise in Lower Grades
A recent Boston Globe article by Bella English reports that bullying, at least among girls, starts at an earlier age than one might think. Based on relatively new research on cruelty among girls, “it is clear that the use of friendship as a weapon begins as early as preschool.” Whether bullying among younger girls is new remains unclear; “ ‘I think what’s different is how uninhibited it [bullying] has become. There’s just a real lack of empathy,’ said Deborah Weaver, executive director of a self-defense and safety program for Boston girls called Girls’ LEAP. The Massachusetts state Senate unanimously passed a bill on March 11 that, according to James Vaznis of The Boston Globe, “aims to curb bullying at schools and in cyberspace.” The Boston Globe reports that “the bill, Senate 2283, defines and bans bullying and cyberbullying; prohibits retaliation against anyone who reports it; requires schools to develop bullying prevention programs; requires staff to report bullying to the principal; and requires the principal to investigate and take appropriate action. The principal must also notify the police if he or she believes criminal charges are warranted.” English writes that, despite the bill, “some say that there is reluctance to accept that children picking on each other amounts to bullying.” Nationally known bullying expert Barbara Coloroso explains that “ ‘we still have this problem that we only get serious about it [bullying] when it’s physical. . . . The old ‘sticks and stones’ adage is a lie, an absolute lie.’ ” The antibullying bill would require bullying prevention programs in every grade across the state of Massachusetts.
Update, April 27, 2010:
The New York Times reports that six students face felony charges for bullying Phoebe Prince, a high school student in South Hadley, MA who committed suicide after being repeatedly taunted, harassed, and threatened for months.
The Associated Press reports that yesterday, April 26, 2010, the South Hadley school administration made public a draft of a new anti-bullying policy. In the draft, bullying is defined as “severe or repeated use by other students of written, verbal or electronic communication, or a physical act or gesture. It must cause physical or emotional harm, create a hostile environment, infringe on the person’s rights or disrupt the educational process.”
- Who does the bill hold responsible for preventing bullying? Does the bill go far enough, or should it hold other parties responsible around preventing bullying as well?
- English quotes Barbara Coloroso as saying that “ ‘we still have this problem that we only get serious about it [bullying] when it’s physical.’ ” Do you think verbal bullying can be as harmful as physical bullying? Why or why not?
- English writes that “schools and child development experts are beginning to acknowledge that bullying begins at the earliest ages, and they are taking steps to combat it by promoting kindness and leadership skills.” How might promoting kindness and leadership skills help prevent or stop bullying? What other ways can you think of to prevent bullying?
- English interviews Rachel Simmons, founder of the Girls Leadership Institute, who says that “research shows that mothers will respond forcefully if their young daughters bite or hit someone. . . . But verbal bullying is different. ‘Very often, moms say, ‘That’s just girls being girls.’ But if you make light of it and don’t intervene, you’re giving your daughter permission.’ ” How would you respond to Simmons? Do you think verbal bullying at a young age is just “girls being girls”? When should parents intervene?
- Vaznis writes that the bill “empowers school administrators to discipline students if they bully peers on the Internet outside school, in cases where it affects a victim while at school.” How can schools monitor and prevent cyberbullying? Do you think school administrators should be able to discipline students for bullying that occurs outside of school?
