U.S. Department of Education
Addressing Bullying on the Nation’s School Buses
Southeastern State Pupil Transportation Conference
July 8-11, 2012
Biloxi, MS
David Esquith
Director, Office of Safe and Healthy Students
What’s the goal at ED?
President Obama:
“Produce a higher
percentage of college
graduates than any other
country in the world by the
end of the next decade.”
Where does the Office of
Safe & Healthy Students fit in?
It’s simple.
Students can’t learn if they don’t feel safe.
Period.
What is Bullying?

Although definitions of bullying vary, most agree that bullying
involves:
•
•
•
Imbalance of Power: people who bully use their power to control or
harm and the people being bullied may have a hard time defending
themselves
Intent to Cause Harm: actions done by accident are not bullying; the
person bullying has a goal to cause harm
Repetition: incidents of bullying happen to the same the person over
and over by the same person or group
The Many Forms of Bullying
•
Examples of bullying:
•
•
•
•
Verbal: name-calling, teasing
Social: spreading rumors, leaving people out on
purpose, breaking up friendships
Physical: hitting, punching, shoving
Cyberbullying: using the Internet, mobile phones or
other digital technologies to harm others
Property destroyed on purpose
Excluded from activities on purpose
Threatened with harm
Cyberbullied
Tried to make things do they did not want to do
Pushed, shoved, tripped or spit on
Subject of Rumors
Made Fun of, called mean names, or insulted
3.30%
4.70%
5.70%
6.00%
6.60%
9%
16.50%
18.8%
National Center For Education Statistics, 2011
Rivers, I., Poteat, V.P., Noret, N., Ashurt, N. (2009). Observing Bullying at School: The Mental Health Implication of Witness
Status. School Psychology Quarterly. 24:4, 211-223.
Petrosino, A., Guckenburg, S., DeVoe, J. and Hanson, T. (2010). What characteristics of bullying, bullying victims, and schools are associated
with increased reporting of bullying to school officials? (Issues & Answers Report, REL 2010- No.092). Washington, DC: US Department of
Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Education Laboratory
Northeast and Islands. Retrieved from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs.
Petrosino, A., Guckenburg, S., DeVoe, J. and Hanson, T. (2010). What characteristics of bullying, bullying victims, and schools are associated
with increased reporting of bullying to school officials? (Issues & Answers Report, REL 2010- No.092). Washington, DC: US Department of
Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Education Laboratory
Northeast and Islands. Retrieved from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs.
Petrosino, A., Guckenburg, S., DeVoe, J. and Hanson, T. (2010). What characteristics of bullying, bullying victims, and schools are associated
with increased reporting of bullying to school officials? (Issues & Answers Report, REL 2010- No.092). Washington, DC: US Department of
Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Education Laboratory
Northeast and Islands. Retrieved from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs.
What’s the potential impact of bullying
Things to remember
•
•
•
•
There’s a difference between causation and
correlation
Most research demonstrates that bullying is a risk
factor for many outcomes but is not the only
“cause”
Not all who experience or engage in bullying will
have these outcomes
Not everyone who has these outcomes was bullied
Children Who Are Bullied
•
Have higher risk of depression and anxiety, including the
following symptoms, that may persist into adulthood:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Increased feelings of sadness and loneliness
Changes in sleep and eating patterns
Loss of interest in activities
Have increased thoughts about suicide that may persist into
adulthood.
Are more likely to have health complaints.
Have decreased academic achievement (GPA and standardized
test scores) and school participation.
Are more likely to miss, skip, or drop out of school.
Are more likely to retaliate through extremely violent measures.
Children Who Bully
•
Have a higher risk of abusing alcohol and other drugs in
adolescence and as adults.
•
Are more likely to get into fights, vandalize property, and drop
out of school.
•
Are more likely to engage in early sexual activity.
•
Are more likely to have criminal convictions and traffic citations as
adults.
•
Are more likely to be abusive toward their romantic partners,
spouses or children as adults.
Children Who Witness Bullying
•
Have increased use of tobacco, alcohol or other drugs.
•
Have increased mental health problems, including
depression and anxiety.
•
Are more likely to miss or skip school.
Bullying and the School Bus
How do students get to and from
school?
60.00%
49.38%
50.00%
43.20%
37.23%
40.00%
39.30%
To School
From School
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
12.09%
8.96%
3.40%4.36%
0.69% 0.71%
0.00%
Walk
School Bus
Public Bus,
Subway, Train
Car
0.18%
0.19%
Bicycle,
Some other
Motorbike, or
way
Motorcicle
Source: National Crime Victimization Survey, School Crime Supplement 2007
For those who are bullied, where does
bullying occur?
90.00%
80.00%
78.23%
Percent of bullied
youth who report
currently taking
bus to or from
school
Percent of Bullied Youth
70.00%
60.00%
50.00%
40.00%
30.00%
25.06%
17.16%
20.00%
8.93%
10.00%
4.45%
0.00%
School Building
School Bus
Outside School Grounds
Somewhere Else
Source: National Crime Victimization Survey, School Crime Supplement
2007
Are those who take the bus more at
risk for being bullied?
80.00%
75.30%
71.99%
70.00%
Significant, but small,
difference. Those who take the
bus are 1.18 times more likely
to report being bullied
60.00%
50.00%
Don't take the bus
40.00%
Take the Bus
30.00%
24.70%
28.01%
20.00%
10.00%
0.00%
Not Bullied
Bullied
Bus drivers are more likely to think bullying is a
problem
Source: Bradshaw and Waasdorp, “Bus Drivers’ Perceptions of and Experience with Bullying,” 2010.
Bus drivers tend to see more bullying
Source: Bradshaw and Waasdorp, “Bus Drivers’ Perceptions of and Experience with Bullying,” 2010.
Bus drivers are not being involved appropriately in
implementing anti-bullying efforts
Bradshaw, C., Waasdorp, T. (27 Oct 2010). Bus Drivers’ Perspectives of and Experience with Bullying: A Brief Report Based on the National
Education Associations Bullying Survey. John Hopkins University.
Bus drivers believe it is their job to intervene
when they see bullying
100
90
80
70
60
50
All Other ESPs
40
Bus Drivers
30
20
10
0
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
Somewhat
Agree
Somewhat
Agree
Strongly
Bradshaw, C., Waasdorp, T. (27 Oct 2010). Bus Drivers’ Perspectives of and Experience with Bullying: A Brief Report Based on the National
Education Associations Bullying Survey. John Hopkins University.
Bus drivers want additional training in intervening
with bullying
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Physical
Verbal
Relational
Cyber
Sexting
Bradshaw, C., Waasdorp, T. (27 Oct 2010). Bus Drivers’ Perspectives of and Experience with Bullying: A Brief Report Based on the National
Education Associations Bullying Survey. John Hopkins University.
Bus drivers want additional training in intervening in bullying
situations involving special populations
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Sexual
Orientation
Disability
Weight
Racial Issues
Gender
Issues
Religious
Issues
Bradshaw, C., Waasdorp, T. (27 Oct 2010). Bus Drivers’ Perspectives of and Experience with Bullying: A Brief Report Based on the National
Education Associations Bullying Survey. John Hopkins University.
What’s the role of the Department of
Education?
Training modules for bus drivers:
http://safesupportiveschools.ed.gov/index.php?id=9&eid=436
Module Goals





Address bullying behavior on America’s school
buses
Provide state-of-the-art information on how to build
a supportive bus climate
Sharpen driver skills in intervening in bullying
behavior and de-escalating threatening behavior
Enhance driver’s existing skills in building a
supportive bus climate
Provide a world-class, interactive curriculum to
achieve all of the above
A sample of the module: good
advice?

One way to get the attention of students on the bus
and their willingness to address bullying among
their peers is to write up the whole bus when serious
bullying occurs.
FALSE
Good advice?

A high-quality report or referral includes details
about what you, as the bus driver, said and did in
response to student bullying behavior.
TRUE
Good advice?

When writing a good report or referral, it is
important to include your own personal perspective
about the student’s motivation or comparisons to his
or her siblings.
FALSE
Other Guidance and Tools




Launch of www.StopBullying.gov
October 26, 2010 “Dear Colleague” regarding
Bullying and Harassment
December 16, 2010 Key Components of AntiBullying Policies Memo
Ongoing research and work to:
 Create
a uniform definition of bullying
 Understand the impact of anti-bullying policies
State Anti-Bullying Laws and Policies
http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-201010.html
Thanks

David.Esquith@ed.gov