How Can Bullying Be Addressed?

[John Owen]

In an earlier post, I said I loved how the teachers in New Elementary handles the case of bullying. I honestly think that counseling the bullies against bullying, and giving them a punishment can help them sew how bad it is. What ways do you think bullying should be handled? My suggestions are in the comments.

[John Owen]

First, I'd take the method Miss Root and the rest of the team took. First would be to invite the parents or anyone in position to talk to the bullies. If it's outside school, you could talk to a sibling or parents, or if in the office, the bullies friend or the HR.
After that, you'll tell the bullies why bullying is bad. After that, they could be given a penalty coupled with counselling.
If they were to change, they will.

[John Owen]

But before that, the fight against bullying starts with you as a person. You could start by standing up to them and refusing to be intimidated. Then, take it up with the relevant authorities.

[Olga Markova]

I think there is no universal pill to take to address bullying - it depends on each case. In the lightest and least harmful cases it may be best ignored as the whole thrill would be lost if there is no reaction. In other, worse, cases a response would be needed, and the strength of response again depends on the gravity - from a teacher's gentle playful "carrot-and-stick" to social services intervention and maybe even police. But in all cases, I think it is important to keep a sharp eye on the bullying and take appropriate action, especially when a child is a victim.

[Nikolas Farmakis]

I believe that ignoring the bully is the best way to deal with him/her at first because he/she is likely craving attention. Then, one should not stay silent when bullied but talk to more people and stand up to the bully with courage and strength.

[Vidhi Adhikari]

It's important to nip the actions of bullies in the bid, either by responding right away (in a civil manner) or by not giving them a reaction at all.

[Rocky Ellery James Tumbelaka]

I believed the methods used in this book was perfect to address bullying. It's not enough to only punish the bully, most of the time that only makes them to want revenge. The must received counseling and understanding on how bad bullying is.

[Rowan The-First]

Some bully others because they are also bullied so I believe before deciding the appropriate punishment for a bully, we must first know the kind of life he is living and we decide the punishment thereafter.

[Chimomaebuka Ejimchi]

The first step to resolving bullying is removing fear. I strongly because that people are continuously bullied because they are afraid to speak up about the situation. If children, especially, could tell their parents about bullied and their parents take actual active steps in ensuring that the bullying ends, then this would be one way.

[Amy Luman]

I feel really old when I say that when I was going to school, it really wasn't that big of a problem. I don't know how to fix it, but I do know that it has to start somewhere. Maybe these kids are being bullied at home. How do you stop that?

[Ferdinand_Otieno]

In my opinion, the method Miss Root and the rest of the team took seems the most productive ay of handling it. That being said, I cannot see a scenario of me ever telling my bully why bullying is wrong, at least not without protection.

[Sushan Ekanayake]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this very important matter. Addressing bullying is crucial and it takes a community effort.

Your suggestion about counseling the bullies is a great one. It is essential to help them understand the impact of their actions and why they are harmful. Punishment can also be effective but it should be used carefully. The main goal should be to teach and reform, rather than just punish.

Here are a few other strategies that can be used to address bullying:

1. Education: Schools should educate all students about what constitutes bullying, why it is unacceptable, and what the consequences will be for those who engage in such behavior.

2. Zero Tolerance Policy: Implementing a zero tolerance policy can help set a clear standard of what is not acceptable in the school environment. However, this should be complemented with other strategies to be effective.

3. Bystander Intervention Training: It's also important to empower bystanders to intervene when they see bullying happening. This can often be an effective deterrent.

4. Support for Victims: Provide counseling and support for the victims of bullying. This can help them recover from the experience and build resilience.

5. Promote Positive Behaviors: Encourage positive behaviors such as empathy, kindness, and inclusivity in the school community.

6. Parental Involvement: Engage parents in anti-bullying initiatives. Parents can play a key role in reinforcing the lessons learned at school.

It's also worth noting that every situation is unique, so a one-size-fits-all approach may not work. The best strategy would be a combination of the above approaches, tailored to the needs of the specific school or community.

[OTrain Disene]

I think being harsh on the bullies really help. Talking to them I find that in most cases don't work because what people don't realise is that bullies are the masters of manipulating, especially their parent, who think their children are saints. So when you see the first instance of bullying, you respond swiffly so they can see they don't have any hold on you.

[Youngreader720-OluwabukunmiWilliamsOso]

Counseling is very important when it comes to addressing bullying, but parental involvement is key too, especially considering that the bully may be taking out experiences from home on others. Also, it helps to paint a picture of the negative effects of that action on the victim to dissuade the bully because a lot of the time it doesn't come to their minds that there are future consequences for the victims.

[Joy Enny]

I also agree that bullies should never be left unpunished. Many of them often have high egos, therefore it can be effective to make them provide both a written and a physical apology to their victim.