Bullying in school environment

Each day school children learn valuable skills and lessons from their teachers as well as
through interactions with their peers. Although school, undoubtedly, is beneficial to America’s
youth, there are some experiences, such as bullying, that may negatively affect and stick with these
children for the rest of their lives. Certain children find an outlet for their frustrations through
bullying others. In the past, these actions could be better controlled because they were limited to
face-to-face interactions. However, in recent years, this age-old conflict has matched the pace of
technological evolutions, making it more dangerous and harder to contain. Cell phones, social media
sites, chat rooms, and other forms of technology have allowed bullying to expand into cyberspace.
This new form of abuse is known as cyberbullying

The definition of bullying has evolved over time and is now inclusive of cyberbullying which
no longer limits bullying to the school yard or workplace. Antiquated definitions for a positive sense
of the word bully ranged from “sweetheart”, “fine fellow” and “blusterer” (1530s through 17th
century). An 1864 U.S. slang “bully for you!” preserved this positivity, however, the meaning waned
to that of a 1680s version “harasser of the weak” (Harper, 2015), and have links to the Dutch and
French word boel meaning "false talk, fraud," or "deception, trick, scheming, intrigue." According to
Harper there also was a verb bull meaning "to mock, cheat," which dates from 1530s and “push
through roughly,” 1884.

The effects of bullying on the learning process as well as on the children and adolescents’
emotional development may be devastating and profound. Bullying is one form of violent
behaviorand referstothe intentional and persistent aggressivebehavior towards others, such as
physical hitting, verbal harassment, spreading of false rumors, social exclusion and use of the
Internet or cell phones for sending nasty messages (Olweus, 1996). The relation between
thevictimandthevictimizerisbasedonpowerissues.TheBullyactsintentionallytoharmhis
orhervictimsasthisgiveshimorhergreatsatisfaction.Thevictimizertakesadvantageofhis or hers victim’s
weakness and abuses him/her physically, psychologically and verbally.

Bullying tends to increase through the elementary grades, peak in middle school, and drop
off by grades 11 and 12 (Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, 2001; Olweus, 1993). The most
common form of bullying is verbal abuse and harassment, followed by social isolation and
derogatory comments about physical appearance (Shellard, 2002). At middle and high school,
bullying most frequently involves teasing and social exclusion, but may also include physical
violence, threats, theft, sexual and racial harassment, public humiliation, and destruction of
property. At the elementary grades, bullying is more likely to involve physical aggression, but is also
characterized by teasing, intimidation, and social exclusion (Banks, 1997). Bullying often occurs in
areas with less adult supervision (hallways, locker rooms, restrooms, cafeterias, and bus stops),
although the classroom is not immune (Shellard, 2002).

The phenomenon of “getting picked on” may extend from few pupils in the class, who are
chronically and frequently targeted by friends to a wide range of social context. Previous research
studies of Hoover et al., (1992) has established bullying as peer harassment or peer victimization in
this social context of bully and bullied. Consequently, an individual may play the role of bully in one
instant and may as victim in another situation depending on power displayed. By standers, may
experience substantial abuse, anxiety, and depression. In order to ensure school safety and
promoting positive attitude in school scenario, anti –bullying policies may be introduced to prevent
bullying of any kind. School has ethical and legal responsibility to create safe and supportive school
environment by justifying the effects of aggression, bullying and ensuring healthy teaching learning
environment.

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