Bullying in Schools
Bullying in Schools Elementary school marks the period whereby children begin to define themselves. Children build identities in which they can be distinguished. As children develop personalities begin to clash. Children may begin to taunt their peers because they appear different. The act of bullying demonstrates the use of superior strength or influence to intimidate someone. Schools seem to be the predominant outlet where the most severe bullying gives way to a change in the behavior of the victim. School administrators should take more aggressive action in eliminating bullying in the schools in order to prevent the victims from experiencing an altered mental state. Bullying can take many forms, such as physical aggression, threats, insults, spreading rumors, social exclusion, and mocking the victim’s culture, disability, or sexual orientation (Olweus, 2003). During the elementary years, the only concern seems to be ways of how to fit into the school atmosphere. Children and youth who engage in bullying behavior may have a physical advantage, high social status, or power in numbers, whereas those who are targeted by bullies are likely to be solitary, smaller in stature, or numbers of marginalized groups (Craig & Pepler, 2007). Bullying appears to be a tradition in schools. Children at that age seem desperate to be accepted. They result to physical acts of violence and rumor spreading against victims in order to attain acceptance. People can argue that there could be an underlying circumstance that causes the bully to torment others. The torment substitutes as an outlet for their anger and frustration. In my perspective, the victims suffer the most. The “Integrating Bullying Prevention into School-wide Positive Behavior Support” article examines that “Targets of bullying may suffer greatly in terms of their social and emotional well-being” (Good, McIntosh & Gietz). The victims develop a sense of depression that results in an alteration of their
References: Craig, W. M. & Pepler D. J. (2007). Integrating bullying prevention into school-wide positive behavioral support http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Bullying+in+schools Gietz, Good & McIntosh (2011) Behavior support. Journal Article. Retrieved on November 27, 2011 from http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Bullying+in+schools+by+Good+McIntosh+and+ Sampson, R. (2005). Bullying in schools guide. Retrieved on November 27, 2011 from http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=A=guide+to+bullying+in+schools+by+Rana&hl=