Preventing Bullying

Bullying is a serious issue that is prevalent in society, especially among high school students. According to a National Center for Education Statistics report, one in five students reported being bullied at school in 2018 (“#StopBullying,” 2019). It implies that the issue needs to be addressed as fast as possible before having profound effects. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests several ways bullying can be addressed in schools (“#StopBullying,” 2019).

The first way is by helping students to understand bullying. Information about bullying has to be made public more so what bullying is and how they can stay safe. The second way is by keeping the lines of communication open. Teachers, parents, and guardians need to listen to students, know what they go through at school, know their friends, and understand their concerns. Thirdly, encouraging students to do what they love can boost their confidence. Consequently, they will learn how to protect themselves from bullying. Lastly, teachers, parents, and caregivers need to model how they treat others. Kids always watch and treat their fellow students how they see. Therefore, it is crucial to prevent bullying to avoid its adverse effects.

Responses

Student 1

Hi,

I like that you mentioned keeping the communication lines open. In cases where bullying leads to disastrous actions such as suicide, kids often have no person to help them out. Our society has facilitated a social gap between children and their guardians, and that is where the danger comes in. Children end up having nobody to inform them on bullying issues or notice bullying incidents and take appropriate action. Therefore, society’s collective responsibility is to come against bullying by educating children about it and keeping them in safe spheres.

Student 2

Hi,

It is unfortunate that bullying causes severe impacts, and especially throughout a victim’s life. I agree with you that action should be taken across all societal frames to stop bullying. Also, I looked into the statistics you have provided, and there is other fascinating information about gendered bullying. For instance, boys and girls have different levels of bullying in that boys are more aggressive. Also, boys tend to persevere through bullying than girls. That may be the reason you found that girls are more likely to be bullied than boys.

References

#StopBullying. (2019, October 10). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/injury/features/stop-bullying/index.html