As parents, we genuinely want our kids to succeed in school—both academically and socially. So, when your child comes home each day and you can sense something is wrong, it’s heartbreaking beyond words. And just when you didn’t think your heart could break anymore, you’ve come to understand that your pride and joy is being bullied, which no parent ever wants to see, or should have to.
Sadly, bullying is sometimes disregarded with statements like “Just ignore it” or “they’re only jealous,” but what good are those when a child is suffering physically or psychologically? In fact, bullying is a common occurrence in school, and according to the National Center for Educational Statistics, one out of every five (20.2%) students have reported being bullied.
In some cases, your child can end up severely injured, leaving you no other choice but to get a personal injury attorney involved. At Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, we want to do our part by helping any child during a trying time such as this, as well as bring awareness to National Bullying Prevention Month in October.
How National Bullying Prevention Month Began
In today’s society, bullying is sometimes hard for parents to notice and accept right away because bullying looked different when they were kids. Bullying also carried a different reputation – Bullying used to be seen as a necessary part of childhood that toughens kids up. However, near the beginning of the new millennium, attitudes toward bullying changed as people realized the devastating long-term effects that bullying can have.
In 2006, PACER’S National Bullying Prevention Center founded National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week in an effort to bring to light the effects of bullying and to empower parents and schools to put an end to childhood bullying.
As part of a national drive to inform communities about their part in reducing bullying, PACER extended the week to a full month in 2010 and named October National Bullying Prevention Month.
Bullying and Its Various Forms
As stated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, bullying is “unwanted, aggressive behavior … involving a real or perceived power imbalance.” And because it can be a violation of federal law in some cases, bullying not only has an impact on the children who are the target but also on those who engage in it.
Although bullying takes many different forms, all of its impacts are the same. Each of these entails a disparity in power, such as popularity, physical prowess, or the capacity to humiliate by rumor or other information.
- Verbal bullying consists of written or spoken words meant to harm. Some examples include: calling names, taunting, inappropriate comments, and threats of physical violence.
- Physical bullying encompasses, but is not limited to: pushing, kicking, hitting, punching, damaging someone’s property, inflicting harm on the victim’s body or property.
- Social bullying entails sabotaging the victim’s reputation or relationships. This type of bullying includes actions like: excluding someone from an activity, disseminating untrue information about them, and humiliating them in public.
Bullying Can Also Happen Online or Through Text Messaging
Online, on social media, and through text and instant messaging, cyberbullying is a tragically widespread problem. Sometimes it can lead to mental health problems and an increased risk of self-harm. It can even cross the line into criminal activity.
In addition to being more pervasive, permanent, and difficult to detect than physical bullying, cyberbullying can also be more severe. Maintaining open communication with your kids or the people in your care is essential for figuring out whether they are cyberbullying perpetrators or victims.
State Laws Against Bullying
All 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, have implemented laws to discourage bullying. The Bullying Prevention Statutes Chart by ADL gives comprehensive information on the anti-bullying and anti-cyberbullying laws in each state.
The website offers links to anti-bullying laws and information on whether they each have specific requirements like a statewide model policy, a clause against cyberbullying harassment, reporting methods, parental notice, and more.
What Steps Can Parents and Teachers Take to Stop Bullying?
One way teachers can help significantly decrease bullying is by teaching them about the negative effects of bullying, as well as skills and behaviors to positively act against it. By doing this, students can become motivated and empowered to take a stand against bullying.
As for parents, it’s important for them to pay close attention to the demeanor of their child. They may also educate themselves about bullying, as well as their kids, and watch out for what’s happening to them in class, online, or anyplace else for that matter because bullies don’t just exist in schools.
National Bullying Prevention Month is Supported by Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys
A child should never have to experience any of the various forms of being bullied. This is why Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys unconditionally supports National Bullying Prevention Month. Together, we can confront bullying head-on and do our part to put an end to it as much as humanly possible.
If your child has been injured due to bullying, please don’t hesitate to contact a personal injury attorney at our firm. We have proudly served our community throughout Alabama and Mississippi for over 35 years and will continue to spread light during dark times.
Andy is the owner and CEO of Citrin Law Firm, P.C. He founded the firm in 1995 with the goal of helping injured people put their lives back together. His passion for protecting injured people has only grown since he opened the doors of Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, and he has a history of winning numerous multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements for his clients.