We have been discussing the impact of bullying for many years and there have been many efforts to help students who have been bullied and who are bullies. It appeared to be a phenomenon that was trending towards more forms of cyber-bullying.
All of us who deal with students who are bullied have seen the devastation that occurs emotionally and relationally to them. It has been our hope that with all the interventions that have been available to students the incidences of this kind of abuse have been on the decline.
I just ran across this article by Jen Wilka who is Executive Director of Youth Trust who has done a significant amount of survey work on the issue of bullying. The results are significant and bothersome.
The indicators are that bullying is not only more prevalent than in the past but is increasing among our students.
Here is the link to Jen’s article:
https://hechingerreport.org/opinion-bullying-is-on-the-rise-survey-shows-how-did-we-get-here/
I think the article is clear about the realities of today’s bullying trends. It starkly reminds us that we still have a lot of work to do as parents, teachers, community leaders and those who guide our students.
Our students also have a responsibility to each other to protect their peers and expose those who would bully others. I think our best hope is to give our students the permission, obligation and commitment to stop the bullying that has been so destructive to their own friends and fellow-students.
Let us continue to be vigilant on this issue and be aware that bullying is still a reality that many of our students experience each day. We need to step into the world of our students and intervene for their safety and protection.
Gerry Vassar, President/CEO
