TAKE A STAND
BULLYING AND WHAT YOU CAN DO
ABOUT IT
THIS WAY, TOWARDS BRAVERY
WHERE YOUTH ARE EMPOWERED.
THIS WAY, TOWARDS ACCEPTANCE
WHERE HUMANITY IS EMBRACED.
THIS WAY, TOWARDS LOVE
WHERE INDIVIDUALITY IS ENCOURAGED.
THE HUMANITY OF BEING HUMAN
The Formula: A High School Thesis.
Coperas Cove High School
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Trust – Let someone earn it
Gossip is not part of the formula of knowing someone
Any outcome you want can be reached
Not everything can workout for someone…especially a
teenager.
Words hurt just as much as a punch
If you had the chance of doing something nice to
someone, wouldn’t you chose that over hurting
them?
None of us are guaranteed the next heartbeat, why
not use it for good?
THE BASICS
Take A Stand: Bullying and what you can do
about it
BULLYING…..
Bullying is
aggressive
behavior that is
intentional and
that involves an
imbalance of
power. Most often,
it is repeated over
time.
DEFINITION OF HARASSMENT AND
BULLYING IN THE IOWA LAW*:
Any electronic, written, verbal, or physical act or
conduct toward a student which is based on any
actual or perceived trait/ characteristic of the
student and which creates an objectively hostile
school environment that meets one or more of
the following conditions:
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Places the student in reasonable fear of harm to the
student's person or property.
Has a substantially detrimental effect on the student's
physical or mental health.
Has the effect of substantially interfering with a student's
academic performance.
Has the effect of substantially interfering with the student's
ability to participate in or benefit from the services,
activities, or privileges provided by a school.
WHERE AND WHEN BULLYING HAPPENS
Bullying can occur anytime.
 School
 Playground
 Bus
 Neighborhood
 Internet
TYPES OF BULLYING
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There are three types of bullying:
Verbal
 Social
 Physical
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VERBAL BULLYING
Verbal bullying is saying or writing mean things.
Verbal bullying includes:
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Teasing
Name-calling
Inappropriate sexual comments
Taunting
Threatening to cause harm
SOCIAL BULLYING
Social bullying, sometimes referred to as relational
bullying, involves hurting someone’s reputation or
relationships. Social bullying includes:
Leaving someone out on purpose
 Telling other children not to be friends with someone
 Spreading rumors about someone
 Embarrassing someone in public
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PHYSICAL BULLYING
Physical bullying involves hurting a person’s body
or possessions. Physical bullying includes:
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Hitting/kicking/pinching
Spitting
Tripping/pushing
Taking or breaking someone’s things
Making mean or rude hand gestures
POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES/OUTCOMES
OF BULLYING:
Research shows that persistent bullying in
youth* contributes to
feelings of loneliness and isolation,
 serious mental health consequences including
depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation and suicide
attempts
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*(those who are bullied and those who bully
others)
BE THE DIFFERENCE
BULLY Trailer
 13 million kids will be
Bullied this year.
 Kids will be kids, boys
will be boys.
 When we come together we can do anything
 If we all do it together we will change the world
CYBERBULLYING
Take A Stand: Bullying and what you can do
about it
CYBERBULLYING….
Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place using
electronic technology. Includes devices and
equipment such as:
 cell phones,
 computers,
 tablets
Communication tools including social media sites,
text messages, chat, and websites.
CYBERBULLYING….
Examples of cyberbullying include:
 mean text messages or emails,
 rumors sent by email or posted on social
networking sites, and
 embarrassing pictures, videos, websites, or fake
profiles.
CYBERBULLYING….BE THE VOICE
WHY CYBERBULLYING IS DIFFERENT
 Kids
who are being cyberbullied are often
bullied in person as well.
 Kids who are cyberbullied have a harder time
getting away from the behavior.
 Cyberbullying can happen 24 hours a day, 7
days a week, and reach a kid even when he or
she is alone.
 Cyberbullying messages and images can be
posted anonymously and distributed quickly
to a very wide audience. It can be difficult
and sometimes impossible to trace the source.
 Deleting inappropriate or harassing
messages, texts, and pictures is extremely
difficult after they have been posted or sent.
EFFECTS OF CYBERBULLYING
Cell phones and computers themselves are not to blame for
cyberbullying. Social media sites can be used for positive activities, like
connecting kids with friends and family, helping students with school,
and for entertainment. But these tools can also be used to hurt other
people.
Whether done in person or through technology, the effects of bullying
are similar.
Kids who are cyberbullied are more likely to:
 Use alcohol and drugs
 Skip school
 Experience in-person bullying
 Be unwilling to attend school
 Receive poor grades
 Have lower self-esteem
 Have more health problems
FREQUENCY OF CYBERBULLYING
 6%
of students in grades 6–12 experienced
cyberbullying. (2008–2009 National Center for Education
Statistics and Bureau of Justice Statistics)
 The
2011 Youth Risk Behavior
Surveillance Survey finds that 16% of
high school students (grades 9-12) were
electronically bullied in the past year.
 Technology use changes rapidly making it
is difficult to design surveys that
accurately capture trends.
What's the last thing someone
told you that really changed
you?
YOUR TURN
What types of bullying do you see in your
school?
In your community?
Are they different and does it matter?
BULLYING AND SUICIDE
Take A Stand: Bullying and what you can do
about it
SUICIDE: BEHAVIORAL WARNING SIGNS
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Direct statements about their intention to
end their lives, or less direct comments about
lack of hope
Preoccupation with death or related themes
Sudden changes in behavior –
withdrawing/pulling away from others or
expressing relief/calm
Somatic complaints – persistent physical
complaints in the absence of a medical cause
Any type of “final preparation” – giving away
personal items
SUICIDE RISK FACTORS
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Previous suicide attempts – in 4 out of 5
completed suicides the person had made a
prior suicide attempt
Mental health issues – as high as 90% of
those who have attempted suicide suffer from
mental illness
Substance Abuse
Family instability/conflict
Exposure to violence or abuse
Authority problems
PROTECTIVE FACTORS
The following is a list of protective factors that can help
reduce the risk of suicide:
 Family stability
 Problem solving skills
 A sense of self-worth
 Connection to school, groups, activities
 Academic success
 Relationship with peers
 Seeks help from adults
 Religion and spirituality
Is there an act of bravery
that you see every day,
but goes unnoticed?
Take A Stand: Bullying and what you can do
about it
IS IT SUCH A BIG DEAL?
IS IT REALLY A PROBLEM?
In a survey more eight to fifteen year-olds picked
teasing and bullying as "big problems" than those
who picked drugs or alcohol, racism, AIDS, or
pressure to have sex.
 More African Americans saw bullying as a big
problem for people their age than those who
identified racism as a big problem (Kaiser Family
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Foundation, 2001).
IS IT REALLY A PROBLEM?
Students age 9-13 have an "omnipresent fear of
physical violence and name-calling"
 Prevailing view among students that schools
"don't get it" when it comes to verbal and
emotional bullying, instead simply focusing on
physical bullying. (Widmeyer Communications,
2003).
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IS IT REALLY A PROBLEM?
Students report that it is not worth the effort to
tell an adult about bullying because bullies are
rarely punished severely enough to deter them
from future bullying.
 Students describe "unsympathetic and apathetic
teachers and principals" who are "difficult to
motivate to take action" and "weak and
ineffective penalties and punishments for bullies
that allows bullying to flourish" (Widmeyer
Communications, 2003).
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THINGS STUDENTS WISH TEACHERS KNEW ABOUT
BULLYING
1.
2.
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5.
6.
Take the issue of name-calling and teasing
seriously.
Name calling is bullying.
Don’t harp on what should have been done in the
past; focus on the present. Saying, “Why didn’t
you tell me sooner?” is not helpful.
Let students know that you are available to talk
to them.
If students see you gossiping or other bullying
behaviors toward students, their families or
colleagues, they will interpret it as permission to
behave similarly.
Do not belittle, tear down or publicly embarrass
students.
THINGS STUDENTS WISH TEACHERS KNEW ABOUT
BULLYING
6.
8.
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Do not downplay what a student says he or she is
feeling or experiencing.
Be discreet and whenever possible, maintain
confidentiality. Some teachers announce to the class
when a student is having a problem with namecalling, bullying or harassment.
Be proactive. Discuss name-calling and bullying and
school policies that outline how these situations will
be handled.
Take time to listen. Don’t try to “fix” a situation
before you have taken time to listen carefully.
YOUR TURN
You decide.
Is it really a problem?
What do you want teachers to know about
bullying?
BULLING BEHAVIORS CAN BE STOPPED
Strength in numbers……
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fg8wxcepAxM
HEY BYSTANDERS….TAKE A STAND
Most Washington state adolescents (57 percent) would
not take action if they witnessed another students
being bullied or teased.
 While between 36 percent (6th graders) to 46 percent
(12th graders) of these students said that they would
"tell that kid to stop," between one-third and onefourth of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders said they would
"walk away" or "mind their own business.“
 A full 20 percent indicated that they would "stay and
watch" (Smyser & Reis, 2002).
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HEY BYSTANDERS….TAKE A STAND
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Research has found that only between 4 and 13
percent of middle and high school youth indicated
that they would report an incident of bullying to
a teacher, administrator, or another school staff
member (Bulach et al., 2000; Harris, 2004; Harris et al., 2002;
Shakeshaft et al., 1997).
Thank someone for something
they did that helped make you
kinder or braver.
BULLYING AND WHAT YOU CAN
DO ABOUT IT
TAKE A STAND
AWARENESS IS KEY!
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The problem of bullying is not new—the
outcomes are more complex
Bullying does not cause suicide, but it may
make vulnerable youth more at risk and may
become a triggering event for suicide attempts
If you are aware of bullying that is occurring
or are concerned for someone’s safety, speak up
and ask for help
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Don’t Blame the Target!
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Individuals that are the target of bullying behaviors are
already blaming themselves for what is happening to them
and often believe they deserve to be bullied or that it is
their own fault
Minimizing or brushing it off as part of life can increase
feelings of hopelessness and helplessness
However, we should help them to look at their own behavior
to see if there is something that they could do to help the
situation & strengthen their sense of well-being
HOW TO HELP THE PERSON BEING
TARGETED:
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Connectedness - belonging to a peer group
Hobbies/Interests
Relationships Building
Journaling
Positive Thinking
Goal Setting
Daily Routine/Self Care
STRATEGIES TO HELP THE SITUATION:
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Be with others (connectedness)
Walk with awareness/confidence
Walk away/ignore it
Avoid places/people/situations
Ask the person to stop
Protect yourself
Adult awareness and involvement
Model appropriate behaviors
Keep a record
YOUR LIFE IOWA
Iowa’s Suicide and Prevention Service
A resource for students, parents, and teachers
YOUR LIFE IOWA SUPPORT
I am proud to announce the launch of a new bullying and
suicide prevention resource – Your Life Iowa. This hotline
and website, funded by the Iowa Department of Public
Health in partnership with Boys Town, the Iowa Youth
Advisory Committee and the Iowa Department of
Education, will provide help to Iowans 24 hours a day, 7
days a week.
Every student should know that if they report being bullied,
adults will take them seriously and that other students will
stand up for them in a nonviolent way.
Governor Terry E. Branstad
Remarks to the Governor’s Bullying Prevention Summit
November 27, 2012
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE IOWA?
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Anti-bullying and youth suicide prevention
service for the state of Iowa
Support, information and resources to students,
parents and professionals;
 24/7 Hotline
 Text Messaging Service
 Website
YOUR LIFE IOWA SERVICES
Hotline
 1-855-581-8111
 Trained Crisis Counselors available 24/7
Texting
 Text TALK to 85511
 Text Services available from 4-8pm, 7 days a week
Website
 www.yourlifeiowa.org
 Resources for adults and students
 Online chat services
YOUR TURN
What is the key to really addressing bullying?
NOW TIME FOR A PEP TALK
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-gQLqv9f4o
THIS WAY, TOWARDS BRAVERY
WHERE YOUTH ARE EMPOWERED.
THIS WAY, TOWARDS ACCEPTANCE
WHERE HUMANITY IS EMBRACED.
THIS WAY, TOWARDS LOVE
WHERE INDIVIDUALITY IS ENCOURAGED.
It starts with
you….
DON’T LOSE HOPE….
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http://www.schooltube.com/video/2a1e599e73b84
2ea86ae/Don't%20Lose%20Hope
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KyvlMJefR4&
feature=player_embedded