User:Derrius3

School Bullying in the United States Bullying is at an all-time high in the United States in the classroom. Bullying is nothing new and has been going on for years in schools, affecting children of all ages. Until recently, bullying was considered harmless, but now because of the rate of suicides committed by children bullying is a serious matter. Many individuals feel that bullying is a normal part of life and part of growing up. School is a big part of young people lives, and that where they are the majority of the day. A child should feel safe, and not afraid to attend school because another child is bullying them. There are three different roles involved in the bullying process, the person being bullied, the bully, and the bystanders. According to one article, “Sometimes students who bully others often do so to gain status and recognition from their peers” (Smith, 2014). The student who are targeted, are new to the school, from a different background than the other students, disabled, have needs, or just have mental health issues that cause them to withdraw from others. The third group of people involved in the process, are the bystanders, students who witness bullying, and either thinks it is funny or just too scared to report the bully. The victims are important, but so are the bullies. The effects of bullying can sometime last a lifetime.

One solution to prevent bullying starts with awareness, and this can start at home. Parents should talk to their child about bullying. Another solution is the school should have in place some type of anti-bullying policy, and teachers, staff and administrators should be trained on spotting a bully and the necessary actions to take when it occurs. The suicide rate because of bullying is high and occurring more often than many care to acknowledge. Bulling can be controlled, but parents, teachers, and administrators must be alert and stay on the lookout for bullying. Early intervention should be done at the first signs of bullying, and before major problems occur, such as self-harm or suicide. Anti-bullying programs should be implemented at all schools from kindergarten through twelfth grade.

Reference: Smith, P. (2014). Understanding school bullying: Its nature and prevention strategies. Los Angeles, CA: Sage E-books