The stereotypical bully is a tough, hardened boy who steals a smaller, weaker boy’s lunch or beats him up on the way home from school. Bullying today, however, takes many different forms, sometimes more subtle, sometimes far more dangerous. From physical to verbal cruelty to social exclusion to the more elusive “cyber-bullying” increasingly victimizing young teens, bullies bring physical and emotional pain that can remain with people throughout their lives.
At Savannah Christian, we have committed ourselves to providing a secure environment where students feel safe, accepted, and valued. We recognize that bullying occurs even in a Christian-based environment, and we are taking measures to educate students, parents, and faculty alike how to recognize bullying, stop it, and hopefully, prevent it.
Identifying bullying is not simple, however. Students are notorious for teasing, name calling, and physical horseplay. Yet, how does one distinguish between playfulness and bullying? Simply put, bullying is intentionally malicious behavior designed to inflict emotional or physical pain and place the bully in a position of power over the victim. Among friends, hurting one another happens occasionally through youthful insensitivity or in a fit of temper, but is generally unintentional or temporary.
Identifying bullies can be difficult because many bullies no longer have the stereotypical “look.” Studies have shown that many bullies are female, not male. Also, bullying often takes subtle forms, such as uniting others to exclude a victim socially.
Sadly, the Internet has become a particularly vicious venue for bullying. Bullies that may not have the courage to face someone in person will often slander them on a web site or threaten them in an instant message or chat room, often with the anonymity of a covert screen name.
The cell phone has also become a tool for bullies, who may take embarrassing pictures of students, for example, in P.E. locker rooms, and publish them online. Ironically, these bullies are sometimes “reactive bullies,” victims themselves who have discovered that technology provides them with opportunities to exact revenge anonymously for the hurt done to them.
Even more frightening is the violence to which bullies occasionally resort with their increased access to weapons, technological information, and hate propaganda. The perpetrators of the 1999 Columbine massacre had an extensive record of threatening online activity and “minor” offenses with weapons, including automatic rifles and pipe bombs, before their suicidal rampage. With the encouragement of music and web sites promoting violence, access to hate propaganda on the Internet, and the availability of information about building bombs, they were able to equalize the power differential between them and their perceived enemies and express their pent up rage and hate in a devastating way.
Our Middle School recently addressed bullying by inviting the Reverend Andy Meeker, pastor of Wilmington Island Presbyterian Church, to teach the students in a school-wide assembly why bullying is harmful and how they can help eliminate it. Teachers then discussed various issues with their homeroom classes and distributed reminder cards summarizing what constitutes bullying, how to address it, and legal consequences.
Faculty actively reinforce these teachings by helping students discern the difference between playful joking and intentional cruelty. Future plans include group meetings with our male and female students separately to discuss bullying, and providing additional written materials at different intervals. Furthermore, students are encouraged to report bullying incidents, and it has been clearly communicated that bullying in any form will not be tolerated and that the consequences will be immediate and serious.
Some form of bullying may always be present when there is interaction between large groups of young people; however, Savannah Christian Middle School intends to lead the charge in fighting this evil and creating a positive, uplifting school environment where everyone is valued and appreciated. The emotional damage of bullying can last a lifetime; we intend to take action to ensure that our children will grow up unafraid, emotionally secure, and with a clear confidence in their God-given worth.
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