President Obama and the First Lady talk about bullying and the growing movement to stop bullying in schools.

On Thursday March 10,2011 the President and First Lady will host parents, teachers, students, community leaders and others at a White House Conference on Bullying Prevention. This is a topic that has hit home for me, and I believe it is a serious issue that our schools need to address. I was doing some research after watching the video above, and I wanted to share the information I found.

WHAT IS Bullyin?

  • Verbal bullying – This is the most common type. It includes name-calling, offensive remarks or consistently making the person the butt of jokes.
  • Physical bullying – Although usually portrayed as the most common type in the movies, it only comes second to verbal bullying. Any aggressive hitting, pulling or shoving is classified under this type.
  • Indirect bullying – Usually common among girls, it involves back-biting and spreading false rumors about a certain person.
  • Social alienation – We usually see this in teenage films wherein the main character, typically a demure type, is excluded from groups by pompous girls
  • Intimidation – Any type of verbal threat with the purpose of making the victim give in to the bully’s demands is considered under this category.

Did you know?

  • Thirty percent (30%) of U.S. students in grades six through ten are involved in moderate or frequent bullying — as bullies, as victims, or as both — according to the results of the first national survey on this subject.
  • Bullying is increasingly viewed as an important contributor to youth violence, including homicide and suicide. Case studies of the shooting at Colombine High School and other U.S. schools have suggested that bullying was a factor in many of the incidents.
  • 1 out of 4 kids is Bullied. The American Justice Department says that this month 1 out of every 4 kids will be abused by another youth.
  • Surveys Show That 77% of students are bullied mentally, verbally, & physically.
  • In a recent study, 77% of the students said they had been bullied. And 14% of those who were bullied said they experienced severe (bad) reactions to the abuse.
  • 1 out of 5 kids admits to being a bully, or doing some "Bullying."
  • 8% of students miss 1 day of class per month for fear of Bullies.
  • 43% fear harassment in the bathroom at school.
  • More youth violence occurs on school grounds as opposed to on the way to school.
  • Playground statistics - Every 7 minutes a child is bullied. Adult intervention - 4%. Peer intervention - 11%. No intervention - 85%.
  • "Being bullied is not just an unpleasant rite of passage through childhood," said Duane Alexander, M.D., director of the NICHD. "It's a public health problem that merits attention. People who were bullied as children are more likely to suffer from depression and low self esteem, well into adulthood, and the bullies themselves are more likely to engage in criminal behavior later in life."

Resources

Do you feel that bullying is a big issue in your schools or in your childs life? I would love to hear what you think about this topic, or if you have ideas to stop bullying in our schools.

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