Bullying Prevention

This week is National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week.

If you don't think bullying is a big problem, please think again. At Wrightslaw, letters are received every week asking advice about what to do when children are bullied... by peers, by older students, even by teachers.

Wrightslaw lists dozens of resources that provide strategies for dealing with bullying and how to prevent it.

Reports and Resources

According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 50% of children are bullied and l0% are victims of bullying on a regular basis. (The NYU Child Study Center, 2005.) Kids who have learning disabilities (LD) or ADHD are especially vulnerable to bullying problems. Read Understanding Bullying and Its Impact on Kids with Learning Disabilities or ADHD.

The PACER Center, a national parent center in Minnesota, has established a National Center for Bullying Prevention. Read about their campaign to empower schools, parents, and kids to end childhood harassment. With an emphasis on children with disabilities, you'll find tool kits for daily activities, online bullying prevention training for parents, and informational handouts.

To find out what works -- and doesn't work -- in bullying prevention and intervention read What Adults Can Do from the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Another excellent resource for parents, teachers, and others who are trying to protect kids is a publication from the Office of Civil Rights titled Protecting Students from Harassment and Hate Crime: A Guide for Schools. It includes a section on the definition of harassment based on disability and provides step-by-step guidance for developing a district's written anti-harassment policy. You may want to ensure your school board has a copy of this publication. Download a copy by clicking on the link above.

Take a Stand, Lend a Hand

Go to Stop Bullying Now! to find information, prevention, tips, and games. You'll find webcasts and podcasts for kids about what bullying is and how to take a stand against bullying.

This document Preventing Bullying: A Manuel for Schools and Communities addresses the problem of bullying in schools and defines bullying, discusses the seriousness of this behavior and the effectiveness of a comprehensive approach, and presents strategies for teachers, students, and parents to use when dealing with bullying situations. It also provides examples of innovative and successful approaches used by schools in different parts of the country.