Bullying Prevention
FUSD is committed to providing a safe learning environment for all students. If you are concerned that your child is being bullied or bullying others, please speak with the school principal, your child's teacher or the school counselor.
Bullying is unwanted, repeated behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance between two people. Bullying is, unfortunately, a common occurrence in many schools. Bullying takes many forms:
Physical: Victim is touched or hit without consent, or their property is destroyed.
Verbal: Victim is called names and insulted.
Cyber: Victim is targeted online, sometimes anonymously and other times via public humiliation (e.g. a video posted without consent)
Social: Bully tries to destroy a victim's reputation or relationship with another person or organization.
All forms can cause victims to have physical illness, low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. Some victims become bullies themselves. Others have suicidal thoughts.
Five Tips to Help Parents Prevent Bullying
Parents and guardians are among a school's best allies in bullying prevention:
Talk with and Listen to Your Children Everyday: Ask questions about their school day, including experiences on the way to and from school, lunch, and recess. Ask about their peers. Children who feel comfortable talking to their parents about these matters before they are involved in bullying are more likely to get them involved after.
Pay Attention to Changes in Kids' mood and behavior: If a child is becoming more irritable, withdrawn, sad or anxious, this can be a sign of bullying or that your child is dealing with other stressful situations in their life.
Be a Good Example: When you get angry at waiters, other drivers or others, model effective communication techniques. As Education.com puts it, "Any time you speak to another person in a mean or abusive way, you're teaching your child that bullying is ok."
Create Healthy Anti-Bullying Habits: Starting as young as possible, coach your children on both what not to do (push, tease, and be mean to others) as well as what to do (be kind, empathize, and take turns). Also coach your child on what to do if someone is mean to him or to another (get an adult, tell the bully to stop, walk away and ignore the bully).
Make Sure Your Child Understands Bullying: Explicitly explain what it is and that it's not normal or tolerable for them to bully, be bullied, or stand by and watch other kids be bullied.
Additional Resources
Bullying Complaint Form - Any student who feels they are a complainant of bullying should immediately contact a teacher, counselor, principal, administrator or staff person.
Student Bullying Resource - Lists types of bullying/harassment, what students can do to report instances of bullying.