Bullying Children Articles

Children and Bullying - At A Current High In U.S. Public Schools

By Mandy-Jane Clarke

Within the last few years, a nationwide survey has concluded that children and bullying is at a current high of 30% in U.S. public schools.  This number represents students in grades six through ten who are bullying kids, or have been victims of kid bullying.  This is unacceptable.

Furthermore, according to the Federal Government’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, "half of school-age kids are victims of this type of abuse."  It is also estimated that one out of ever four students will encounter bullying kids.  In fact, another startling study showed that 77% of students affirmed they had encountered kid bullying.

What is happening in our schools today?  Perhaps the problem lies with the notion that bullying is not a serious issue.  Unfortunately, it is.  While teachers are trying to educate students in class sizes which have always been well over the acceptable limit, there will be a tendency to ignore the problems of the few in order to be able to adequately teach the many.

We know teachers are working very hard to ensure that their students become successful individuals.  The question to be answered is: at what point does a teacher have the authority to remove bullying kids from the classroom?  While recent implementations do allow teachers to remove unruly students, the time it takes to contact a dean or assistant principal is valuable time taken away from those students who want to learn.  As a result, more and more teachers are talking above the din in the classroom while at the same time, kid bullying continues.

This is not an environment conducive to learning.  This is a problem that occurs every day in most classrooms in America, and unfortunately seems to be more prevalent in middle schools.  There is another statistic which must be mentioned here.  Approximately 280,000 students are physically attacked in middle schools each month.  This figure is not even close to the truth due to the fact that not all incidents are reported.  Why?  The more incidents that are reported, the higher the chances parents will not send their kids to that school.  Thus, the school has a low turnout, loses Federal funding, and could be closed.  Keep in mind also that all school report cards and incidents can be viewed online. 

Child bullying in middle schools is increasing.  While kids in middle schools will not snitch on other kids for fear of retaliation, they are nonetheless traumatized by the events that unfold, especially during the first week of September.  There is an initiation on the first Friday of September which utilizes kid bullying tactics against students who have either emigrated to this country and/or do not speak English very well.  In addition, fifth graders are not only apprehensive and anxious during their first week, but are pawns in the kid bullying games which are prevalent in their school.  The basic foundation of education is collapsing due to the violence in public schools today. 

This article is courtesy of http://www.Stop-Bullies.com Stop-Bullies.com is a resource site covering specific areas of bullying including Children and Bullying.