Bullying in Schools and Its Consequences

• Bullying in schools leads to serious consequences for victims.
• Parents and schools often do not agree on issues of bullying.
• It is important to maintain communication between parents and schools.

Bullying in schools can have a profound impact on victims. Research shows that it can lead to decreased academic achievements, depression, anxiety, and even suicidal behavior. Therefore, preventing and reducing bullying is a priority for governments, families, and schools.

However, a common barrier in the fight against bullying is that parents and schools often do not agree on whether there is a particular situation of bullying.

Research in Norwegian schools revealed that when parents believe their child is being bullied, approximately two-thirds of the time the school does not agree with this. There are also cases where the school asserts that the child is bullying others, but the parents of that child do not agree with this.

What is "bullying"?

Defining bullying is not straightforward. Definitions used in Australian schools encompass key elements, defined by international research. Bullying is a form of aggression that:

• harms victims
• occurs repeatedly over time
• has the intention to cause harm
• involves an imbalance of power, where victims feel powerless in resolving the issues.

What should schools do after reporting bullying?

When a student or parent reports bullying, usually the first thing the school does is to consult with the students, teachers, and parents, and also observes the interactions between students.

However, there are several difficulties in defining whether there is bullying.

Firstly, bullying often occurs when adults are not present, and students often do not report it to teachers, so direct observation is not always possible.

Secondly, even if a teacher is present, social forms of bullying can be very subtle, such as exclusion, making it easy to overlook.

Thirdly, determining whether there is "intent to cause harm" can be challenging, especially when students who are accused of bullying may claim (rightly or wrongly) that they were "just joking" or did not intend to hurt.

Fourthly, the age of the student matters. If a student is older or physically bigger, or if there are several students involved in the bullying, the difference in power can be obvious. However, when the power is based on popularity, the difference in power may not be noticeable.

Fifthly, not all aggressive behavior is bullying. For example, conflicts that involve physical fights or arguments between peers are not considered bullying, unless there is an imbalance of power.

What to do if the school and parents do not agree?

The school may not prioritize limited resources for resolving incidents that they do not consider bullying. This can leave the student in a difficult situation and be very distressing for the family.

However, research shows that parental reports of bullying predict increased risk of anxiety and depression in children, regardless of whether school staff agree.

What can be done?

One way to address the situation is for the school to investigate whether bullying is occurring.

For instance, if children are being excluded through behavior that may seem harmless, such as ignoring, we can expect that children will reduce this behavior when they feel that it bothers them. However, if the behavior increases, it may indicate that it has a more serious underlying issue.

A useful strategy for parents is to keep a record of their child's experiences with bullying over time.

It is important for parents to maintain good relationships and regular communication with the school. Since bullying can be complex and evolve over time, good communication can help ensure quick resolution of issues.

Parents can teach their child to manage the situation, for example, by asking friends and peers in a supportive and assertive manner to stop behaviors that they find unacceptable.

Overall, working together on the best solutions, schools and families can address behaviors that are problematic.

Tags: Well-being