Bullying in a New Light
Martine Caponera Kylie Young Emily Lam Makenna Carr ERWC P. 1 Ms. Hollingsworth June 3, 2014
Bullying is a terrible experience that about 77% of people1 have to go through. There are so many types of bullying: cyber, physical, and mental, however people typically always associate bullying with a negative light, but what if it is a good thing? Of course being punched or physically injured on a daily basis is not good or healthy, rather, other forms of bullying can help build character and improve people’s wellbeing.
[2] Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems3. In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include: ●
An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people.
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Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once or have the potential to happen more than once. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose. Anti-Bullying Laws and Policies In 2003, a new law was put into the education system that states, “The Bullying Prevention for School Safety and Crime Reduction Act4 updated and enhanced 1985 School Safety Act. “The Legislature finds and declares...The children of this state have the right to an effective public school education. Both students and staff of…school campuses have the constitutional right to be safe and secure in their persons at school. It is the intent of the Legislature that all California public schools...developing a comprehensive school safety plan that addresses the safety concerns identified through a systematic planning process.” Our Stories During high school, I, Kylie, have never seen or heard about anyone getting physically bullied at school, only relational aggression. All through these years I have seen girls who were once best friends once shun one of their own by spreading rumors, laughing behind her back and ostracizing each other. At first I didn’t know what was happening because I never been the observer before, but I found these girls crying in the bathroom and it made me realize that we need change. I have been one of these girls before and it sucks, having no one to turn to, picking yourself apart to figure out what’s wrong with you. I only got better when I was befriended and stopped caring what they said and did. If you see this happening to anyone, become their friend because they need one right then.
I, Emily, witnessed a verbal, cyber bullying attack on Twitter, a social media outlet. Two people were settling personal issues, a guy I knew and this other person. This other person advertised to
his all of his followers to, “deny the ‘follow’ request” of this guy I knew. This other person rallied support to get this person’s account suspended, when his account was only fourteen minutes old. He then continued to promote this brute-like accomplishment throughout twitter by lashing out hate messages and malicious screenshots throughout the entire Fountain Valley High School Media Outlet. Throughout this entire debacle, I was speaking to this person when he suddenly disappeared from the conversation. As the hours passed by, I honestly did not know what to think: death, attempt of suicide, self-harm, or a measly bathroom break. I have seen what malicious words over social media can do to a person: viciously deteriorating one’s self-esteem. The guy that I knew came back into the conversation after two hours to vent his thoughts. I suggested that he voice is opinion and ask for help with his parents, other students, or even staff and faculty. He later filed for a cyber bullying report with the school and is now currently seeking therapy. If the guy I knew were to have not spoken out to get help from the school’s psychiatry department, his voice would have gone unnoticed or even worse, his own life.
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How to Respond to Bullying If you witness a case of cyberbullying........ Tell a parent, teacher or supervision about the bullying and bring evidence Back up the person who is being bullied, not by bullying the other person but by believing in them If you are the victim to cyberbullying........ DO NOT take what the tormentor said to your head or heart because they are only looking to cause pain to you and have a power trip Tell someone what is happening on the internet because you shouldn’t have to go through this alone, someone will always be there for you
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If you see someone getting physically bullied..... Find a teacher or supervision to break it up Intervene immediately Cause a distraction so the tormentor's attention will be elsewhere If you are being physically bullied...... DO NOT FIGHT BACK Try to escape and run away Make a scene to get someone else’s attention so they can help you If you witness or hear someone getting verbally bullied...... Get to the victims side immediately Defend the victim Tell the tormentor to stop If you are getting verbally bullied.......
Tell someone DO NOT BELIEVE WHAT THE TORMENTOR SAYS ● DO NOT tease or taunt back because that makes you just as bad as them If you see someone who is getting socially bullied (relational bullied).... ● Befriend them, don’t let them be alone ● Make them know that they are not alone and they do have friends ● ●
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Hang out with them If you are being relational bullied..... DO NOT PICK YOURSELF APART You are not alone, people care about you DO NOT listen to them, tune them out Make new friends, ones who are not like the old ones Tell somebody Whatever you do, DO NOT think you are lesser than them
Conclusion: From the young age, children are generally taught not to hurt people’s feelings, hit anyone, and treat others the way you like to be treated. However, as these children enter public school the probabilty that any of these children will get builled increases exponentially. However, al
Footnotes: 1 "Bullying Statistics." Bullying Statistics . N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2014. <http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/bullying-statistics.html>. 2 "Bullying Definition." Home. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services , n.d. Web. 2 June 2014. <http://www.stopbullying.gov/what-is-bullying/definition/>. 3 "Effects of Bullying." Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 May 2014. <http://www.stopbullying.gov/at-risk/effects/index.html>. 4 http://beta.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/house-bill/3692 5