BULLYING

Know it * Stop it

WHAT IS BULLYING?

IMBALANCE OF POWER:

THREE TYPES OF BULLYING

VERBAL

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saying or writing mean things

SOCIAL

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hurting someone’s reputation or relationships

PHYSICAL

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hurting a person’s body or possessions

VERBAL BULLYING INCLUDES

SOCIAL BULLYING INCLUDES

PHYSICAL BULLYING INCLUDES

CYBERBULLYING

• Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets.

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• Cyberbullying can occur through SMS, Text, and apps, or online in social media, forums, or gaming where people can view, participate in, or share content.

• Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else.

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• It can include sharing personal or private information about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation.

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• Some cyberbullying crosses the line into unlawful or criminal behavior.

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THE MOST COMMON PLACES WHERE CYBERBULLYING OCCURS ARE:

• * Social Media, such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter
• * SMS (Short Message Service) also known as Text Message sent through devices
• * Instant Message (via devices, email provider services, apps, and social media messaging features)
• * Email

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FORMS OF CYBERBULLYING

• Posting comments or rumors about someone online that are mean, hurtful, or embarrassing.
• Threatening to hurt someone or telling them to kill themselves.
• Posting a mean or hurtful picture or video.
• Pretending to be someone else online in order to solicit or post personal or false information about someone else.
• Posting mean or hateful names, comments, or content about any race, religion, ethnicity, or other personal characteristics online.
• Creating a mean or hurtful webpage about someone.
• Doxing, an abbreviated form of the word documents, is a form of online harassment used to exact revenge and to threaten and destroy the privacy of individuals by making their personal information public, including addresses, social security, credit card and phone numbers, links to social media accounts, and other private data.

HOW MANY KIDS ARE BULLIED?

19-20% of students ages 12-18 experienced bullying on school property

15% of those were bullied electronically

160,000 kids stay home from school every day because of fear of bullying

BULLYING AND SUICIDE

• Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people, resulting in about 4,400 deaths per year, according to the CDC. For every suicide among young people, there are at least 100 suicide attempts. Over 14 percent of high school students have considered suicide, and almost 7 percent have attempted it.
• Bully victims are between 2 to 9 times more likely to consider suicide than non-victims, according to studies by Yale University
• A study in Britain found that at least half of suicides among young people are related to bullying
• 10 to 14 year old girls may be at even higher risk for suicide, according to the study above

SIGNS OF BULLYING

• Unexplainable injuries
• Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewelry
• Frequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling sick or faking illness
• Changes in eating habits, like suddenly skipping meals or binge eating. Kids may come home from school hungry because they did not eat lunch.
• Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares
• Declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork, or not wanting to go to school
• Sudden loss of friends or avoidance of social situations
• Feelings of helplessness or decreased self esteem
• Self-destructive behaviors such as running away from home, harming themselves, or talking about suicide

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WHY KIDS DON’T TELL

�MICHIGAN COMPILED LAWS 380.1310B REQUIRES PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO HAVE A POLICY PROHIBITING BULLYING, ALONG WITH:�

• * A prohibition against retaliation
• * Identification of responsible school officials  (d) The identification by job title of school officials responsible for ensuring that the policy is implemented.
• * A statement describing how the policy is to be publicized.
• * A procedure for notifying parents of the victim and the bully
• * A procedure for reporting an act of bullying.
• * A procedure for prompt investigation
• * Required documentation of bullying reports
• * Confidentiality
• See MDE Model policy (handout)

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BULLYING CAN BE ILLEGAL, IF IT IS:

• Discriminatory on the basis of race, color, or national origin (Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Michigan Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act)
• Discriminatory on the basis of sex, including sexual or gender-based harassment or assault (Title IX)
• Discriminatory on the basis of disability (Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act and ADA Title II, Michigan Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act)
• Discriminatory on the basis of religion (Michigan Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act)
• and the school fails to act or is deliberately indifferent to acts of known harassment.

WHAT TO DO

• Put it in writing. That means a thorough complaint with names, dates and details of each incident of bullying, complaints, what was done, what the effect has been on your child and what you expect to happen. (See sample letter – handout)
• Follow their policies — Schools are required to have bullying policies by law. Their policies should be online or otherwise accessible. If they are not, request them in your letter.
• Send a letter to the superintendent — If you can’t resolve the problem with the principal, send your letter to the superintendent and copy all of the school board members.
• File a complaint – With the Office of Civil Rights https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/index.html or the Michigan Department of Civil Rights (https://www.michigan.gov/mdcr/)
• Talk to a lawyer - https://www.nachtlaw.com/education-law/bullying-harassment/

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WHAT NOT TO DO

PREVENT BULLYING

STOP BULLYING

RESOURCES

QUESTIONS AND FINAL THOUGHTS?