Columbine High School has raised awareness about school harassment. Extreme violence has declined but what about less violent bullying and theft?
Bullying and the Court System
Over a decade ago an Eden Prairie, MN elementary girl was so harassed on a school bus by middle school boys that the family won a lawsuit against the school. The amount was more than one million dollars and sent shock waves through schools. The large award was not because of what was said to the young girl but because the school did nothing to stop it.
According to the mother, who appeared with her daughter on Good Morning America, complaints were made to the bus driver, teachers, and administration with no visible attempt made to stop the behavior. It was on this basis that the school was found legally liable.
Bullying After Columbine
Ten years after Columbine’s massacre, schools have adopted anti-bullying policies and added bullying prevention programs to school curriculums. How is this working?
- 86% of public schools in 2005-2006 reported one or more violent incidents and thefts of items valued more than $10.
- Students report crimes at a rate of 46 crimes per 1,000.
- One-third of 12-18 year olds report being bullied in school.
- 25% of students state there are gangs in their schools. [1]
Indicators of School Crime and Safety
The publication, Indicators of School Crime and Safety, reports disturbing data. Being victimized in schools can have lasting effects. Bullying may lead to
- Loneliness
- Depression
- Adjustment difficulties
- More prone to truancy
- Poor academic performance
- Dropping out of school
- Violent behaviors [1]
No Child Left Behind Statistics
Under new legislation, schools must report violent acts by students. Unfortunately, some schools are using differing data in reporting. One school may report all major and minor incidents while a neighboring school district may cover up all bullying and assaults to look like a model school. The school that discloses all incidents (major and minor) may be listed as a persistently dangerous school while the one with frequent unreported violent acts may be given a clean report. Accurate data on bullying is difficult to obtain.
Anti-Bullying Programs in Schools
Schools are becoming proactive and teaching students what harassment is and what to do about it. Second Step: Steps to Respect, Character Counts, PBS (Positive Behavior Supports) and other anti-bullying programs do show students how to recognize bullying, how to react and how to report.
Lynn Addington, associate professor of public affairs at American University, says, "A lot of attention has been given to programs against bullying, taking a whole-school approach to this, and when they work well, they change the attitude that kids have toward their school. The kids have more of a stake in the school. It’s like people taking their own steps into making their neighborhoods safer. That is going to go a long way, as opposed to putting a few more police officers on the street." [1]
School violence has decreased over the past decade but theft and bullying still need to be reduced. Declining physical violence is a start but more needs to be done with bullying and theft.
Related article: Cyber Bullying Is Now Illegal
[1] Valerie Strauss, "Bullying, Thefts Persist Despite Drop in Violence," The Washington Post, May 11, 2009.
Barbara Pytel - Email me Experience Although I was never particularly fond of going to school as an ELL student, I ironically became a teacher, ...
