Modern Day Bullying and Its Effect on Education
Dominique Rollins
Catawba College Modern Day Bullying and Its Effect on Education
The current definition of a “bully,” is listed as “a blustering browbeating person; especially: one habitually cruel to others who are weaker,” (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). Over the past 15 years, the term “bullying” has changed from a word that describes what was once perceived as children and teenagers making and playing harmless jokes and pranks on each other, to a word that describes the relentless harassment and sometimes violence that individuals are subjected to at various life stages. Despite the fact that bullying can affect and involve more than just students, it is most prevalent among the school age population. Unfortunately, this also means that there are deep rooted ties to violence and suicide amongst youth in America. There are many contributors to such behavior, some of which have only yet to be explored as we are at the forefront of what is considered to be the digital age. However, bullying is not a new age idea exclusive to the 21st century. One of the earliest documented examples of bullying, where that specific term is mentioned, is in the August 6th, 1862 publication of The Times (London). In the paper, the writer makes reference to the act of bullying as it related to a soldier’s death. The soldier was killed by a 21 year old soldier named John Flood, who was the victim of “long, malignant and systematic bullying,”
Bullying is one of the leading causes in teen suicide today. People bullied in the past or present have been studied and it has shown that they have a lower quality of life. Though they have a lower quality of life, the have better physical and mental health. (“Seaman” 1). Studies have shown that most bullying happens in middle school and high school. There is bullying in elementary school but it is minimal and less serious (“Bullying Statistics” 1). Most kids refuse to speak up while being bullied in fear that the bully will just taunt them more (“Cyber-Safety Act” 2). Bullying has become a very serious issue regarding our society today.
There has been conflict among people since the beginning of time, but when did bullying actually start? In her book, Bullying, Beth Rosenthal states that we are “living in a culture that encourages dominance and competition” (63). America’s culture has allowed bullying to become acceptable which is such a terrible matter. Not only is it an accepted part of our society today, but bullying is embedded in our DNA which is no wonder bullying has escalated so quickly over time. Many adults today claim that bullying was not around when they were attending school, and instead it was just labeled as “boys being boys” or “girls being mean.” However, bullying has always been around which draws
Bullying, by definition “is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance” (Stop Bullying). Bullying has quickly become a serious problem in schools, and it negatively impacts both the bully and the victim. Students who have been bullied even once in their lifetime have a higher risk of attempting suicide, and in general have lower self-esteem, causing them to have difficulty maintaining relationships. Bullies themselves also begin to harass their peers because they have been abused or uncared for by their own family. While it may seem bullying is just a normal part of the high school experience, victims of bullying can face many psychological problems. Bullying is not something that should be disregarded, but instead should be properly addressed so that children who are bullied can find the help they desperately need.
Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among people of all ages, but mostly school-age children. Society has been aware of bullying since around 1693, but it was not viewed as a real problem until the 1970s. “While overall incidents of school violence, such as assault and theft, have declined in the last decade, bullying is on the rise.” (qtd in Tyre) The percentage of middle and high school students that have been victimized by bullying went up from 14 percent in 2001 to 32 percent in 2009. (Tyre)
Bullying is defined as “verbal, physical, or psychological abuse or teasing accompanied by real or perceived imbalance of power” and is usually targets what children perceive as different (Olweus, 1993). Bullying is prevalent across the nation. It has devastating effects on students each day. Bullying is a problem for all students, regardless of race, gender or class. The National Education Association reports that 160,000 children are absent intentionally from school each day because they fear being bullied whether it is an attack or just intimidation by other students. This accounts for 15% of all school absenteeism (Hunter, 2012). Dan Olweus (1993) from the National School Safety Center tells us that bullying includes three parts: (1)
Bullying is defined as the prolonged malicious act of harming peers by abusing their own--or an existing imbalance of--power, and has become one of the most common sources of trauma among adolescents. One report shows that one of three children were victims of bullying during some point in their life, and that 10-14% of all adolescents were victims of chronic bullying for at least six months prior to participating in the survey. Children who were victims of bullying are also found to be at a higher risk of diagnoses for anxiety disorders and depression during young and middle adulthood. These victims are reported to be more likely to have lower levels of general/physical health, and lower educational acquirements than young and middle-aged adults who were not bullied (Wolke & Lereya, 2015). Because bullying is such a prominent problem, citizens, policymakers, and social scientists alike, should feel or have some social and moral obligation to address, and hopefully avert bullying. The state of bullying, and how it is enacted, is constantly changing and adapting to social frameworks. Because bullies can adapt to social changes and regulations, we, as a society, should be equally adaptive in how we perceive, address, prevent, and punish bullying.
Bullying has become more of an issue that is threatening our younger generation today. Bullying is becoming more of a vicious act in public schools throughout the United States (Coloroso, 2003; Felix & McMahon, 2006). There are many adverse effects that are caused by this disgraceful act. The average school-age child is silently or overtly tormented on a daily basis. Many of these students who experience bullying feel that they have no one to talk to, or that they have no where to go. The motives that the bullies take can cause harmful and even devastating results. In today’s society, bullying provokes emotional, social, and cognitive distress in the
Most kids say that they don’t see bullying around school. In just Minnesota alone there is talk about bullying and how to prevent it. Sen. Franken states, “Nine out of 10 LGBT kids are harassed or bullied in school. One-third report having skipped school in the last month because they felt unsafe” (Shah 14). Kids should not feel unsafe to go to school. School is supposed to be a safe place to go and if someone needs help there are supposed to be people there to guide them. Franken adds, “But the sad fact is that our federal laws are failing” (Shah 14). Laws have been made to try to stop bullying, but bullying continues to exist. This shows how out of control bullying is becoming.
Bullying is an aggressive behavior where someone is repeatedly and purposely causing someone else injury making them feel uncomfortable. It can be physical, hurtful words, or just certain actions. According the article “Bullying and Suicide,” it states that nearly 30 percent of students are bullies or victims of bullying, and 160,000 kids stay home from school every day because of bullying (Word Press, Par. 1). In this essay I will
“Nationwide, one out of four students from the ages twelve to eighteen have been bullied. That is twenty five percent to the teenage/young adult population and these numbers are continuously to rise every day” (Wassdorp, Bradshaw, and Leaf 116, 149-156). Bullying is the action of repeated harmful acts or harassing another in various forms. Many situations fall under one or even multiple of these categories: physical, verbal, indirect, and cyber. What this does is strips the victim down from their identity and leaves them to pity themselves for being the way they are. Bullying is an issue in this nation because it tears apart the teenage/young adult population, and it is causing an increase in risk of suicide among these groups. Bullying is
Bullying is defined as the prolonged malicious act of harming peers by abusing their own--or an existing imbalance of--power, and has become one of the most common sources of trauma among adolescents. One report shows that one of three children were victims of bullying during some point in their life, and that 10-14% of all adolescents were victims of chronic bullying for at least six months prior to conducting the survey. Children who were victims of bullying are also found to be at a higher risk of diagnoses for anxiety disorders and depression during young and middle adulthood. These victims are reported to be more likely to have lower levels of general/physical health and lower educational acquirements than young and middle aged adults who were not bullied (Wolke & Lereya, 2015). Because bullying is such a prominent problem, citizens, policymakers, and social scientists alike, should feel or have some social and moral obligation to address, and hopefully avert bullying.
Bullying causes suicide. There is a firm link between suicide and bullying, as stated by many reports on bullying-related suicides in the United States and many other countries. “Children who are bullied as well as those who bully others are more likely to contemplate or attempt suicide” (Strickland 1). The National Center for Educational Statistics, in 2009, said nearly 1 in 3 students between the ages of 12 and 18 reported being bullied in school. “Bullycide,” is a term that is increasingly finding its way into the educational lexicon as a result of several teen suicides that were attributed at least in part to bullying.
The word "bully" can be dated back to around the 1500's, and in its most common and basic terminology means " An Intimidator abusing a victim".
What is the definition of bullying? It is getting pleasure from someone else’s pain and not feeling any type of remorse or regret for your actions. Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children and adults that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids and adults who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems. In the same aspect bullying is unquestioned obedience to authority, rootinazation of cruelty and dehumanization of another human being (Services, 2015) (Somante, 2014).
Back in the past many have focused on drug and alcohol use in school students along with students carrying weapons to schools, and it seemed as if no one was recognizing the significance of school bullying. For victims of bullying, they go to school every day facing harassment, taunting, and humiliation. Kids today come home and kill themselves or never want to go back to school because of BULLYING. “Studies show that 25-35% of teens encountered some type of bullying in their lifetime (Nansel et al,).” Bullying is a form of violent behavior that happens not only in the schools but everywhere. Kids everywhere have been exposed to bullying in school for generations and ages . Although bullying has always been a factor the consequences for