Conflict vs. Bullying
Bullying is not a phase young people must endure or outgrow. Bullying is not a conflict between students or among groups of students. Conflict is a mutually competitive or opposing action or engagement, including a disagreement, an argument or a fight which is a normal part of human development. Bullying is one-sided, where one or more students are victims of one or more person’s aggression, which is intended to physically or emotionally hurt the victim(s). There generally are four types of bullying behaviors. These behaviors and some examples are identified below: Verbal – Includes taunting, name calling, malicious teasing or making threats (U.S. Department of Justice, 2001); Psychological – Includes spreading rumors, purposefully excluding people from activities, breaking up friendships (U.S. Department of Justice, 2001); Physical – Includes hitting, punching, shoving, spitting or taking personal belongings (U.S. Department of Justice, 2001); and Cyberbullying – Includes using the Internet, mobile phone or other digital technologies to harm others. (DuPage County Anti-Bullying Model Policy and Best Practices, 2011).
The effects of these bullying behaviors on students include: Serious psychological and behavioral effects manifested in low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, suicide, violence and criminal behavior; Physical problems such as headaches, dizziness and stomachaches; or Poor grades (Olweus, 1994). Feeling safe in schools powerfully promotes student learning and healthy development (Devine and Cohen, 2007). Bullying, which is a serious impediment to school safety, negatively affects the atmosphere of a school and disrupts the learning environment in the following ways: Student achievement suffers among the bullied and those who engage in bullying (http://www.stopbullying.gov); Student absenteeism increases. In a national survey, 30% of lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender (LGBT) students reported missing at least one day of school in the past month compared to 8.0% for the general student population (GLSEN, 2009); Teacher morale declines when social dynamics in the classroom interfere with instruction and discipline and contribute to increased employee absences (http://www.stopbullying.gov); Adult-student relationships suffer. Students who witness bullying can become fearful and develop the belief that the adults are not in control or are uncaring (http://www.stopbullying.gov).
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