Beware of the In Crowd
Time
Aug. 13, 2000
By MICHELE ORECKLIN
It's possible that all these years we've been blaming the wrong kids for
stealing our milk money. The image of the schoolyard bully as a disaffected
social outcast or a hulking denizen of shop class is a familiar one and a staple
of teenage lore. But as researchers and teachers grow increasingly sensitive
to the issue of school violence, they are studying bullying more closely and
finding that the stereotypes are often misleading.
In fact, bullies are likely to be among the most popular kids in school, admired
by peers and teachers alike, according to a report presented last week at a
meeting of the American Psychological Association (A.P.A.). "These are the
kids that other students look up to, the ones everybody wants to hang out
with," says Dorothy Espelage, an assistant professor at the University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, who co-authored the study. It defines bullying
as persistent teasing, name calling or social exclusion; Espelage did not
include overt physical acts, since she found they were rare and typically used
by students with more serious problems.
Espelage focused on students in the sixth, seventh and eighth grade, when
the problem is most acute. "As kids transition into middle school, they are
negotiating new settings, establishing power within peer groups," she says. In
this confusing period, denigration of others often proves a successful route to
prominence. In boys this generally manifests itself through taunting or threats
of violence, while girls are more apt to spread rumors or inflict social
ostracism. The study shows bullying tapering off as kids advance into the
eighth grade.
William Pollack, a psychologist who examines bullying in his book Real Boys'
Voices, agrees that intimidation is too often rewarded. "Aggression,
homophobia and violent behavior are looked up to in boys," he says. "Being
artistic or musical is not." He cautions, however, that not all child bullies are
the cool kids--some are among the most depressed students in a class and
may be reacting to being bullied themselves. Pollack is also worried that the
phenomenon is on the rise, partly because families spend less time together,
which leaves boys fewer outlets for productive communication. "It's a national
epidemic," he says. "Both the amount of teasing and the intensity of it have
increased over time, and the stakes are higher. We're talking AK-47s now, not
just a shove." While Espelage acknowledges that it is difficult to know whether
bullying is growing more common, she says that recognition of its
consequences is certainly on the rise. Both agree that while bullying has been
around since the one-room schoolhouse, it should no longer be dismissed as
a mere adolescent rite of passage.
An estimated 160,000 children each day miss school for fear of being picked
on, according to the National Association of School Psychologists. Typically,
these students are different in dress or appearance or seem unlikely to
defend themselves. In addition to academic failings, they suffer such physical
ailments as stomachaches and headaches as well as psychological troubles
that in extreme cases include suicidal tendencies.
Though bullies commonly have high self-esteem, they tend to be victims of
psychic damage as well. Most come from homes in which discipline is
administered inconsistently or through physical means. They often fail to learn
effective methods of problem solving, and by some estimates 1 in 4 chronic
bullies will have a criminal record by age 30.
Awareness of the dangers is spurring school systems across the U.S. to
implement antibullying programs, which have proved effective in other
countries. In Massachusetts, the Executive Office of Public Safety has set
aside $1 million in federal money to help schools identify potential bullies and
aid their victims. Beginning this fall, teachers statewide will use a curriculum
created at Wellesley College that tackles bullying as early as kindergarten.
Administrators at Liberty Middle School in Ashland, Va., started a similar
program last year. Each week teachers meet with a group of 14 students and
perform activities designed to promote interpersonal skills. Administrators
have also created zero-tolerance disciplinary guidelines.
A major objective of these efforts is to encourage bystanders to speak out. "If
you target one kid, you're missing the point," says Espelage. "So much
enabling is given by bystanders who remain passive." Espelage also suggests
eliciting the support of peer-group leaders. "If they take a stand," she says,
"the rest will fall in behind. They have leadership skills that could be
rechanneled." Evidence of this comes from another study presented at the
A.P.A. conference last week, which found, perhaps not surprisingly, that some
of our best Presidents, including F.D.R., were not above "bullying and
manipulating" if necessary.
With reporting by Rebecca Winters
Time
Aug. 13, 2000
By MICHELE ORECKLIN
It's possible that all these years we've been blaming the wrong kids for
stealing our milk money. The image of the schoolyard bully as a disaffected
social outcast or a hulking denizen of shop class is a familiar one and a staple
of teenage lore. But as researchers and teachers grow increasingly sensitive
to the issue of school violence, they are studying bullying more closely and
finding that the stereotypes are often misleading.
In fact, bullies are likely to be among the most popular kids in school, admired
by peers and teachers alike, according to a report presented last week at a
meeting of the American Psychological Association (A.P.A.). "These are the
kids that other students look up to, the ones everybody wants to hang out
with," says Dorothy Espelage, an assistant professor at the University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, who co-authored the study. It defines bullying
as persistent teasing, name calling or social exclusion; Espelage did not
include overt physical acts, since she found they were rare and typically used
by students with more serious problems.
Espelage focused on students in the sixth, seventh and eighth grade, when
the problem is most acute. "As kids transition into middle school, they are
negotiating new settings, establishing power within peer groups," she says. In
this confusing period, denigration of others often proves a successful route to
prominence. In boys this generally manifests itself through taunting or threats
of violence, while girls are more apt to spread rumors or inflict social
ostracism. The study shows bullying tapering off as kids advance into the
eighth grade.
William Pollack, a psychologist who examines bullying in his book Real Boys'
Voices, agrees that intimidation is too often rewarded. "Aggression,
homophobia and violent behavior are looked up to in boys," he says. "Being
artistic or musical is not." He cautions, however, that not all child bullies are
the cool kids--some are among the most depressed students in a class and
may be reacting to being bullied themselves. Pollack is also worried that the
phenomenon is on the rise, partly because families spend less time together,
which leaves boys fewer outlets for productive communication. "It's a national
epidemic," he says. "Both the amount of teasing and the intensity of it have
increased over time, and the stakes are higher. We're talking AK-47s now, not
just a shove." While Espelage acknowledges that it is difficult to know whether
bullying is growing more common, she says that recognition of its
consequences is certainly on the rise. Both agree that while bullying has been
around since the one-room schoolhouse, it should no longer be dismissed as
a mere adolescent rite of passage.
An estimated 160,000 children each day miss school for fear of being picked
on, according to the National Association of School Psychologists. Typically,
these students are different in dress or appearance or seem unlikely to
defend themselves. In addition to academic failings, they suffer such physical
ailments as stomachaches and headaches as well as psychological troubles
that in extreme cases include suicidal tendencies.
Though bullies commonly have high self-esteem, they tend to be victims of
psychic damage as well. Most come from homes in which discipline is
administered inconsistently or through physical means. They often fail to learn
effective methods of problem solving, and by some estimates 1 in 4 chronic
bullies will have a criminal record by age 30.
Awareness of the dangers is spurring school systems across the U.S. to
implement antibullying programs, which have proved effective in other
countries. In Massachusetts, the Executive Office of Public Safety has set
aside $1 million in federal money to help schools identify potential bullies and
aid their victims. Beginning this fall, teachers statewide will use a curriculum
created at Wellesley College that tackles bullying as early as kindergarten.
Administrators at Liberty Middle School in Ashland, Va., started a similar
program last year. Each week teachers meet with a group of 14 students and
perform activities designed to promote interpersonal skills. Administrators
have also created zero-tolerance disciplinary guidelines.
A major objective of these efforts is to encourage bystanders to speak out. "If
you target one kid, you're missing the point," says Espelage. "So much
enabling is given by bystanders who remain passive." Espelage also suggests
eliciting the support of peer-group leaders. "If they take a stand," she says,
"the rest will fall in behind. They have leadership skills that could be
rechanneled." Evidence of this comes from another study presented at the
A.P.A. conference last week, which found, perhaps not surprisingly, that some
of our best Presidents, including F.D.R., were not above "bullying and
manipulating" if necessary.
With reporting by Rebecca Winters
Bullies are likely to be popular
Bullies, whether they are students or teachers, are likely to have
the respect and affection of their peers.
Bullies, whether they are students or teachers, are likely to have
the respect and affection of their peers.
 |
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 |
| San Diego Education Report |
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Stutz Artiano Shinoff
& Holtz v. Maura
Larkins defamation
SDCOE
CVESD
Castle Park Elem
Law Enforcement
CTA
CVE
Stutz Artiano Shinoff
& Holtz
Silence is Golden
Schools and Violence
Office Admin Hearings
Larkins OAH Hearing
Why This Website
Stutz Artiano Shinoff
& Holtz v. Maura
Larkins defamation
SDCOE
CVESD
Castle Park Elem
Law Enforcement
CTA
CVE
Stutz Artiano Shinoff
& Holtz
Silence is Golden
Schools and Violence
Office Admin Hearings
Larkins OAH Hearing
Lack of Knowledge
Stymies Efforts to Stop
Bullying
By Dakarai Aarons
Education Week
August 12, 2010
Despite increased attention
to the bullying of school-age
children, researchers, school
leaders and federal
education and health officials
say more research is needed
to pinpoint effective anti-
bullying practices.
Phillip C. Rodkin, an
associate professor of
educational psychology at
the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign, told the
Department of Education's
first summit on bullying
prevention Wednesday that
the reason school officials
and other adults don't know
more about bullying is simple:
"They didn't ask. They didn't
want to know."
He said adults need to spend
more time talking to children
about the social ecology of
relationships to understand
who is being bullied by whom
and what factors in the
school—including classroom
management—create
conditions for bullying
relationships to persist.
One challenge that a number
of presenters brought up at
the Washington, D.C., summit
was the lack of agreement
about what constitutes
bullying. Bullying is defined in
some of the 43 state laws
banning it, but the definition
varies, as does the way
researchers ask students
and others about incidences
of bullying and other
aggressive behavior in
schools.
Another set of challenges
also stymies the work, said
Dr. Joseph L. Wright, a
pediatrician who is a senior
vice president and head of
the Child Health Advocacy
Institute at Children's National
Medical Center in
Washington.
Many of his fellow
pediatricians lack knowledge
about bullying and its
connection to serious health
risks for children. Wright said
he has used his leadership
positions in groups such as
the American Academy of
Pediatrics to help raise
awareness. He also is
working to convince another
group of people to take the
physical and other
consequences of bullying
more seriously: the parents
of his young patients who
often write off the injuries as
part of "kids being kids."
"Many of us grew up with a
different ethos around these
behaviors and what they
mean," Wright explained.
The two-day summit, put
together through the
leadership of the federal
Education Department and
the Health Resources and
Services Administration, is
also a vehicle for federal
agencies to show off the tools
built from their collaboration.
One national tool is the
website Find Youth Info, a
project of the Interagency
Working Group on Youth
Programs. As an extension of
that site, the working group
has created BullyingInfo.org.
The sites bring together just
about everything every
federal department and
agency has available to help
administrators, teachers,
students, and parents
understand and deal with
bullying. To have it all in one
place is nothing short of a
bureaucratic miracle.
Dr. Regina M. Benjamin, the
U.S. Surgeon General, called
bullying a "public health
issue" and said local
advocates and educators
have to build on the policy
work of the federal
government to get others to
take bullying just as seriously
as other health issues
affecting youngsters.
Education Secretary Arne
Duncan, who kicked off the
summit by talking about "the
plague of bullying," said the
department and its Office of
Safe and Drug-Free Schools
are stepping up enforcement
of civil rights violations and
will issue policy guidance to
schools about their
responsibilities to make sure
violations of civil rights law
are addressed. Some of the
bullying of children, with its
sexist, homophobic and racist
roots, can be considered
violations of harassment law.
That said, Duncan was clear
that his goal is "not to lock up
America's youth," but rather
to balance a hard-line
approach with a need to get
bullies the help they need
and to emphasize
preventative programs and
interventions...
Stymies Efforts to Stop
Bullying
By Dakarai Aarons
Education Week
August 12, 2010
Despite increased attention
to the bullying of school-age
children, researchers, school
leaders and federal
education and health officials
say more research is needed
to pinpoint effective anti-
bullying practices.
Phillip C. Rodkin, an
associate professor of
educational psychology at
the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign, told the
Department of Education's
first summit on bullying
prevention Wednesday that
the reason school officials
and other adults don't know
more about bullying is simple:
"They didn't ask. They didn't
want to know."
He said adults need to spend
more time talking to children
about the social ecology of
relationships to understand
who is being bullied by whom
and what factors in the
school—including classroom
management—create
conditions for bullying
relationships to persist.
One challenge that a number
of presenters brought up at
the Washington, D.C., summit
was the lack of agreement
about what constitutes
bullying. Bullying is defined in
some of the 43 state laws
banning it, but the definition
varies, as does the way
researchers ask students
and others about incidences
of bullying and other
aggressive behavior in
schools.
Another set of challenges
also stymies the work, said
Dr. Joseph L. Wright, a
pediatrician who is a senior
vice president and head of
the Child Health Advocacy
Institute at Children's National
Medical Center in
Washington.
Many of his fellow
pediatricians lack knowledge
about bullying and its
connection to serious health
risks for children. Wright said
he has used his leadership
positions in groups such as
the American Academy of
Pediatrics to help raise
awareness. He also is
working to convince another
group of people to take the
physical and other
consequences of bullying
more seriously: the parents
of his young patients who
often write off the injuries as
part of "kids being kids."
"Many of us grew up with a
different ethos around these
behaviors and what they
mean," Wright explained.
The two-day summit, put
together through the
leadership of the federal
Education Department and
the Health Resources and
Services Administration, is
also a vehicle for federal
agencies to show off the tools
built from their collaboration.
One national tool is the
website Find Youth Info, a
project of the Interagency
Working Group on Youth
Programs. As an extension of
that site, the working group
has created BullyingInfo.org.
The sites bring together just
about everything every
federal department and
agency has available to help
administrators, teachers,
students, and parents
understand and deal with
bullying. To have it all in one
place is nothing short of a
bureaucratic miracle.
Dr. Regina M. Benjamin, the
U.S. Surgeon General, called
bullying a "public health
issue" and said local
advocates and educators
have to build on the policy
work of the federal
government to get others to
take bullying just as seriously
as other health issues
affecting youngsters.
Education Secretary Arne
Duncan, who kicked off the
summit by talking about "the
plague of bullying," said the
department and its Office of
Safe and Drug-Free Schools
are stepping up enforcement
of civil rights violations and
will issue policy guidance to
schools about their
responsibilities to make sure
violations of civil rights law
are addressed. Some of the
bullying of children, with its
sexist, homophobic and racist
roots, can be considered
violations of harassment law.
That said, Duncan was clear
that his goal is "not to lock up
America's youth," but rather
to balance a hard-line
approach with a need to get
bullies the help they need
and to emphasize
preventative programs and
interventions...