In the Know, October 2024

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. Research shows bullying can be stopped, but continual effort is needed by those who have the power to intervene. Below is information to help you become the advocate students need in their learning environments.

Bullying is a Solvable Problem

Expand your advocacy for bullied students, by ensuring that your school has a comprehensive bullying prevention plan in place. A prevention plan enables educators to have a process in place for learning how to recognize bullying behaviors, how to intervene appropriately when it's witnessed, and how to prevent it in the first place.

Educate Students

Involve your students as peer advocates. Get student input when developing a bullying prevention plan. Integrate the topic of bullying and how to deal with it into your curriculum.

Role-play with students on diffusing a bullying situation and engaging bystanders. Create opportunities for students to work together, such as assignments that require sharing and collaboration. An anti-bullying curricula should encourage students to report bullying and harassment to an adult.

Zero Out Zero Tolerance

Zero tolerance policies hinder bullying prevention efforts. Such policies generally involve suspension or exclusion from school and are related to increased dropout rates and discriminatory application of school discipline practices. Also, there is no evidence that removing students from school makes a positive contribution to school safety. We do know that students who bully need pro-social models.

We can advocate for bullied students by working to develop and/or utilize bullying prevention programs that do work, such as:

• Targeted behavioral support programs for at-risk students
• Character education and social-emotional learning programs
• School-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports
• Early intervention strategies

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