How can we stop bullying in our schools, workplace and neighbourhoods?

Answer 1

Warren; you're a gem!
Brains over muscles any day!
By exposing them; and not living in denial that it could happen in our own family;
It seems that everyone seems to think that it couldn't happen to their kids and even though the child makes some attempt at trying to open up to the parent sometimes, the parent might say: "oh! it's just kid stuff! get over it! tell your teacher or worst: "no one likes a blabber mouth! You can handle it! and so on!!!
The moment a child opens their mouth to complain, parents today are so busy with their own problems that they often fail to listen, to really listen to their own kids... who then don't have a clue where to turn! If mom and dad can't believe me, who will? And they go on putting up with the dreaded bullying day in and day out!
Schools aren't much better as more and more teachers resent the very jobs that shouldn't even be a job but a vocation. Only people who are passionate about truly wanting to help the students should be teachers but that seems now the last criteria on anyone's agenda... as they do the minimum they can get away with and every chance they have, they hide in the teachers' lounge complaining about the students and about how little they get at the end of the month for it... Money is now so much more important than the children that when I went to replace teachers in several schools, I was flabbergasted at the conditions the poor kids found themselves in and at their hopelessness which has become so deep-rooted that most kids admitted to being in prisons and not schools, that they never felt good to approach any teacher about anything, not even the counsellors who kept looking at their watches anytime they met with them... as if to say: "are you just about done? your time is up, you know?" and whenever they have the shock of meeting someone who proves that they really care and have their best interests at heart, they can hardly believe their eyes... Too many stood in line, too often to tell me so! in person as I also couldn't believe my eyes and ears... and this is in one school after another after another! Children hate the system and can't wait to get out of it but are stuck with no one to listen and come down to their level to speak to eye to eye and it's a terrible thing to witness. One good thing I did have the privilege of witnessing though, was a few magazines just about that particular topic in the principal's office which had been left by some Witnesses and that was good! Every little bit helps when it comes to our kids! As far as I'm concerned, I've been speaking up to bullies since my very first day in school when I saw two bigger boys going after a smaller girl... I wasn't much bigger myself but I told them to leave her alone... and they did! We all need to speak up in the name of justice more often... There's more of us than of them... so let's go and one at a time, one day at a time, one bully at a time, one student at a time, one teacher at a time, one parent at a time, we must wake up and listen to our kids... and help the less fortunate one... everywhere!

Answer 2

I don't know if it is truly possible to stop it, but it would be possible to greatly reduce it by appropriately penalizing bullies when we identify them. I am avoiding the word "punishing" for a reason.

I don't think punishing a bully will work. They may take pride in their punishment, and may even seek punishment as a reward.

One thing we can do as parents is to stand by our children. When they are being bullied we should show our support and love for them and try to negate some of the effects of the bullying they may have been on the receiving end of.

The best way to penalize a bully is through loss of privileges. This works best in the school and workplace environment--it would probably be difficult to enforce in a neighborhood. The bully has already begun to isolate himself or herself, and when they are penalized the isolation should be made greater. If a class has a picnic the bully can be excluded. If they have a movie the bully can be sent to some other place as it is shown.

If a bully stops bullying then the isolation can be eased.

I was bullied when I was in the first grade. The worst part of the experience was that nobody stood by me. My parents told me to fight my own battles. My school refused to act. I was forced to find ways to evade contact with the bullies, and--since I was a little smarter than they were--that was not difficult.

Nevertheless it was an injustice I will always remember, even six decades later. I would never allow a child of mine to be abandoned as I was.

Answer 3

For the schools, stop the "kids being kids" mentality and realize that in a lot of cases, it has gone too far. Make bullying an offense with serious consequences, including possible arrest for harassment.

For workplace - have strong policies in effect when it comes to that, with the consequences clear. Then be sure not to make any exceptions, or "let it go this time".

Neighborhoods - Get involved. Have neighborhood watch groups. If you see something happening, pick up the phone and call the cops before it gets too far.

Answer 4

We can 'nip it in the bud' by responsibly teaching love for our neighbor, & true empathy, to our children. Those who learn & appreciate such things rarely if ever bully, and when they are bullied, know not to respond in kind.

How We Learn to Love :
- Love Is Indespensible
- How to Develop Genuine Love
http://watchtower.org/e/20030701/article_01.htm

Love of Neighbor Has Grown Cold
- Love of Neighbor--A Reality
http://watchtower.org/library/kn35/article_01.htm

EMPATHY--Key to Kindness and Compassion
- What IS Empathy
- Scriptural Examples of Empathy
- How to Cultivate Empathy
http://watchtower.org/library/w/2002/4/15/article_01.htm

And, the earlier we start, the better ..

A Child's Early Years--What Should Parents Do?:
- The Importance of Nurturing your Child
http://watchtower.org/library/g/2004/10/22a/article_02.htm

Unfortunately, there isn't much we can do about those who bully, as the cause of it is much deeper than the behavior! They usually are very insecure, & actually may have low self-esteem, & bullying is the only way they've discovered to get noticed. It is often done in revenge for feeling unloved, but even then, toward the wrong people. );

Answer 5

We need zero tolerance for bullying. If you bully once, you are expelled from school.

Also work on promoting cooperative behaviors and play and shunning competitive behaviors. Perhaps push competitive, bossy, and aggressive people to the margins of society.

Give full legal, civil, and criminal immunity to those who defend themselves from bullies. If you kill a bully, the family should not have the right to collect anything. If they loved the bully, they would have, as a family, made sure at any and all costs that their family member wasn't engaging in bully behavior. Parents who allow their children to become bullies simply do not love them.

Spread whatever propaganda it takes to stop bullying. Produce "studies" that show that bullies are more likely to contract STDs, turn to a life of crime, commit rapes, abuse animals, or whatever that the society hates the most.

As for the comments below, well, just expel 10% of the student body and send them to training schools. Then the problem is solved.

Answer 6

I read the article that said 90% of elementary school students said they were bullied. Now I find that hard to believe.

When I was in school, maybe 5 percent max. My impression from the article was that the term bully was used way to loosely.

I think that a serious case of bullying should be addressed by parent to parent if possible, school principal if the parents don't know each other.

In the mild cases, kids should learn to handle those on their own. Most times in mild cases, it's just a matter of one kid just checking to see if they can get the other one to do what they want. If the kid doesn't accept the bullying, then the bully goes on his/her way.

I just can't buy that 90% of kids think they have been involved in a serious case of bullying.

Answer 7

I think if we have more people like yourself and the media to talk about these things and make "safe havens" for these children and people that go through being bullied. I was bullied when I was in school but I found that revenge is bitter sweet when I went to my school reunion. Like I mentioned before more people talking about and the right people taking actions will help.

Answer 8

Slap the parents in the face. It comes from the parents. If the parents were more invlolved, and they had dicipline, then there wouldn't be as much bullying as there is.

Answer 9

Help our children be confident in themselves. Poor self-esteem leads to bullying.

Answer 10

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