pfc newsletter O A K
P A R K
H I G H
S C H O O L
February 2012
www.oakparkusd.org/ophs
The Principal’s Message
in the nature of the social development and peer relationships that distinguish the genders. Sadly, all too often, we learn of the bullying after it has been going on for some time. Parents are in the dark too as the child carries this burden alone not wanting to be a “snitch” and fearing repercussions that he or she feels would worsen the situation. They will often retreat into their rooms and give no indication that there is anything wrong. But signs of bullying are similar to those of substance abuse and depression: isolation, declining grades, lack of interest in school and other interests, and no desire to engage in activities that they once found pleasurable. The impact on the family can also be very disruptive as parents try to determine the cause for the behavior or simply attribute it to typical adolescence. Bullied students are sometimes punished further for their failing grades or sullen behavior thereby compounding the feelings of worthlessness and fear. Schools are also in a difficult position if counselors, teachers, and administrators are not aware of the incidents. Bullying is a serious school safety issue and can increase the prevalence of school violence and disruptive behavior in the classroom and in the quad. However, communication is the key to combatting bullying, and bullying is very easy to deal with once we know about it. There are strict laws that address bullying in schools and most schools, including Oak Park High School, have adopted a “zero tolerance” policy toward bullying. Discipline for bullies is swift, sure, and unequivocal. The consequences can include suspension and expulsion, and while there is always a significant element of counseling that reinforces the penalties for any retribution or repercussions, the message is clear to the bully and his or her parents that
In this message, I’d like to discuss how parents and students can work with the school to prevent bullying and avoid its potentially devastating effects on the adolescent’s self-esteem and academic achievement. While it is widely known that bullying exists in primary school and peaks in middle school, bullying still persists in high school, particularly in 9th grade. We’ve heard how boys and girls differ when it comes to bullying and that boys hit and girls spread gossip. Boy bullying in the middle grades is usually focused on physical threats of violence, whereas girl bullying is often inflicted by groups of girls who work together against one girl and is more focused on isolating her from the group or hurting her reputation. By the time students get to high school, both male and female bullying consists predominately of verbal insults and attacks, both in person and in social media, to humiliate and demean others. High school bullying is rarely violent, but is intended to humiliate, intimidate, or to somehow isolate the child from the social group. It has the effect of making the student dread school, knowing that they will be targeted and that there is no way to avoid running into the bully. Students are bound by schedules that move them throughout the same rooms and hallways everyday. They often eat lunch in the same place, so it’s very easy for the bully to repeatedly target and harass the child in front of his or her classmates and friends. The student feels trapped and that there is no escaping the daily taunts and insults. Even though the bullying of boys and girls is primarily verbal, there are significant differences between the ways boys and girls bully that is founded
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