Warning Signs of Bullying
- Comes home with damaged or missing clothing or other belongings
- Reports losing items such as books, electronics, clothing, or jewelry
- Has unexplained injuries
- Complains frequently of headaches, stomachaches, feeling sick, trouble sleeping or has frequent bad dreams
- Has changes in eating habits, are very hungry after school from not eating their lunch
- Loses interest in visiting or talking with friends
- Is afraid of going to school or other activities with peers, suddenly has fewer friends
- Loses interest in school work or begins to do poorly in school
- Appears sad, moody, angry, anxious or depressed when they come home
- Feels helpless, hurts themselves, and talks about suicide
- Blames themselves for their problems and often feels like they are not good enough
- Avoids certain places
What can you do?
- Speak up against bullying. Say something like, “stop it.”
- Walk away. Act like you do not care, even if you really do.
- Tell an adult you trust. They may have ideas about what you can do.
- Stick together. Staying with a group might help.
Things to remember...
- You are not alone.
- It is not your fault. Nobody should be bullied!
- Talk to someone you trust.
- Do not hurt yourself.
- Do not bully back. Do not bully anyone else.
- Do not let the bully win. Keep doing what you love to do.
For Bystanders:
- If it is safe, speak up. Say something like, “Stop it!”
- Tell an adult. Tell a teacher or coach you trust.
- Be a friend to the person who is being bullied. Talk with them. Sit with them at lunch.
- Set a good example. Do not bully others.
Monitor & Report
- Monitoring: Administrators, teachers, and staff should be on the lookout for bullying not only in the classroom, but also in the hallways, cafeteria, bathrooms, gymnasium, on sports fields, other areas of the school, and on the school bus. To d so, you need to know the warning signs of bullying.
- Reporting: After each intervention, report the incident.
Follow-Up Intervention
- Intervening in bullying does not necessarily mean immediately turning to traditional forms of discipline. Discipline should be considered as one part of a holistic approach to addressing bullying. It should be used in conjunction with other educational and restorative strategies.
- Interventions should clearly label bullying as unacceptable, build awareness, and help students develop the skills, empathy, and insights they need to find alternatives to bullying. Interventions should also assist to restore positive relationships between the students involved in bullying and improve the school climate.