|The Impact of Bullying on Students and Schools|
Today at school,
Rosa saw a boy being bullied. Other kids were in a circle around him, calling
him names. Rosa knew this was wrong, but she didn’t know what to do to help
this boy. She worried that if she said anything, the other kids would start
bullying her. After seeing this boy getting bullied, Rosa doesn’t feel safe at
Bullying doesn’t involve only those doing the bullying and
those being bullied. Bullying involves and affects the entire school community.
The three main groups that are affected by bullying are the students who are
bullied, the students who bully, and the witnesses or bystanders who see it
happen, like Rosa.
The Impact on Bullied
who are bullied can develop physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach pains
or sleeping problems. They may be afraid to go to school, go to the lavatory,
or ride the school bus. They may lose interest in school, have trouble
concentrating, or do poorly academically.
Bullied students typically lose confidence
in themselves. They may experience depression, low self-esteem, and suicidal thoughts or they
may lash out in violent ways--the most serious being school shootings. The Impact on Students Who Bully
Students who bully do not fare much better. Research shows
that these students are more likely to get into frequent fights, steal and
vandalize property, drink alcohol and smoke, report poor grades, perceive a
negative climate at school, and carry a weapon. Long-term research has also
shown that these students are at increased risk to commit crimes later in life.
It’s important to note, however, that not all students who bully others have
obvious behavior problems or are engaged in rule-breaking activities. Some of
them are highly skilled socially and good at ingratiating themselves with their
teachers and other adults. For this reason it is often difficult for adults to
discover, or even imagine that these students engage in bullying behavior.
The Impact of Bullying on Bystanders
Students who witness bullying also may be affected. They may
feel guilty for not helping, or fearful that they will be the next target. Or
they may be drawn into the bullying themselves and feel bad about it
afterwards. All of this may gradually change the group or classroom attitudes
and norms in a harsher, less empathetic direction.
The Impact on the School
When bullying continues and a school does not take action,
the entire school climate can be affected. The environment can become one of
fear and disrespect, hampering the ability of students to learn. Students may
feel insecure and tend not to like school very well. When students don’t see
the adults at school acting to prevent or intervene in bullying situations,
they may feel that teachers and other school staff have little control over the
students and don’t care what happens to them.
The effects of bullying are so devastating and profound that
over the last few years at least 37 state laws against bullying have been
adopted. There have also been civil suits brought against schools and school
systems over bullying incidents, some with damages in the millions of dollars.
It is important to realize that, like sexual harassment and racial
discrimination, some forms of bullying are illegal actions.
Bullying is a serious issue that will impact the school
experience of all children involved. This is why it must be taken seriously and
effective measures to prevent it must be put in place.