NCJ Number
178626
Journal
Northwest Education Volume: 4 Issue: 3 Dated: Spring 1999 Pages: 2-11
Date Published
1999
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This article examines the impact that bullying can have on its victims as well as on schools, and suggests ways that schools can counter this problem.
Abstract
Bullying, which Banks defines as "physical or psychological intimidation (that) occurs repeatedly over time to create an ongoing pattern of harassment and abuse," appears to cut across all the demographics of school size, place, and wealth. Bullies' targets "tend to have lasting emotional scars and low self- esteem," reported "Education Daily" in October 1998. Bullying may negatively affect not only its victims but also the climate of schools and, indirectly, the ability of all students to learn to the best of their abilities. Peer harassment has also played a part in a number of recent high-profile school shootings and a thwarted massacre. The Montana Behavioral Initiative (MBI), launched in 1995 to improve school climate statewide, draws on effective-schools research to train local school-community teams to recognize and create community/school programs that effectively meet the needs of students and develop safe, orderly environments. Such programs are also designed to improve the willingness of school and community personnel to respond proactively to the individual needs of students. Other aspects of the MBI training are intended to improve the willingness of school and community personnel to respond proactively to the individual needs of students, to extend the range and quality of services designed to assist students in developing social competence, to provide school and community personnel with validated strategies for responding to troubling behavior, and to strengthen the ability of schools and community agencies to network and coordinate community schools can use to counter bullying are provided.