Anti-BullyingAnti-Bullying&&

Anti-Harassment Anti-Harassment

October 16, 2007

Penny Bisignano, IDEKathy Lockard, AEA 14Jaymie Randel, AEA 267Karolyn Zeller, AEA 11

Presentation Information…• The Law• Definition of Bullying• Bullying in Iowa & the Nation • Bullying & Student Achievement

– Effects Overtime• Effective Bullying Prevention

– What Works & What Doesn’t• Possible Next Steps

Purpose

Iowa is committed to providing

all students all students with a safe and civil school environment in which all members of the school community are treated with dignity and respect.

The Law

Findings

Harassing and bullying behavior can seriously disruptseriously disrupt the ability of school employees to maintain a safe and civil environment. It can also interfere with the ability of students to learn and succeed.

The Law

Getting Started…

•Listen to the following stories. After hearing these stories, discuss if these are likely situations in your school.–Why or Why Not?

Getting Started…

•Write down your answers to the following 7 questions on the listening guide…

Give these questions your best effort…

1)What is the most prevalent form of bullying behavior in grades 6, 8, & 11, according to the IYS?

2) What percent of 6th, 8th, & 11th grade students report being bullied in some way one or more times in the past 30 days, according to the IYS?

Facts

Give these questions your best effort…

3) What percent of students reported being bullied “sometimes” or “more often” during the school term, according to a national survey?

4) What percent of students reported that they bullied others “sometimes” or “more often” during the school term, according to a national survey?

Facts

Give these questions your best effort…

5) What percent of students do nothing when they see another student being bullied?

6) What percent of students do nothing, but think they should help, when they see another student being bullied?

7) What percent of students try to help when they see another student being bullied?

Facts

Prevalence of Bullying/Harassment…

According to the 2005 IYS…

Verbal harassment is the most common form of bullying behavior in grades 6, 8, and 11.

Facts

Bullying Behavior by Type

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

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Phys

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2005 Iowa Youth Survey, state level data (Approximately 97,000 respondents)

Facts

Prevalence of Bullying/Harassment…

According to the 2005 IYS…

Over 50% of 6th, 8th, and 11th graders reported being bullied in some way one or more times in the past 30 days

Facts

% of Students Bullied in Some Way in the Last 30 Days

Prevalence of Bullying/Harassment…

According to the first 2001 nationally representative U.S. study of bullying…

What percent of students reported being bullied “sometimes” or “more often” during the school term?

What percent of students reported that they bullied others “sometimes” or “more often” during the school term?

@ 2007 Hazelden

Facts

17%

19%

Bystander Behavior in Bullying Situation

Facts

© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004

Thinking about the information shared thus far, what has struck a chord with you?

Policy

It is the policy of the state of Iowa that school employees, volunteers, and students shall not engage in bullying or harassing behavior.

The Law

Prevalence of Bullying/Harassment…

According to an anonymous survey of 116 elementary teachers from 7 U. S. schools…

33% of teachers reported that they knew of one or more teachers who had bullied students in the past school year

40% of these teachers reported that they themselves had bullied a student

@ 2007 Hazelden

Facts

Teachers who bully…• You might be a bully if you have ever …

– Picked on or embarrassed a particular student in front of other students

– Used humor or sarcasm to ridicule or make fun of a student

– Played favorites with some students while treating others more harshly

– Inappropriately used your power as a disciplinarian with students

Facts

Hazelden, 2007

Provisions of a District Bullying/Harassment Policy

• Definition of bullying & harassment bullying & harassment

• Description of type of expected expected behaviorbehavior

• Description of consequences and consequences and remedial actionremedial action

• ProceduresProcedures for for reporting and reporting and investigatinginvestigating

The Law

What is your definition of bullying and harassment?

Definitions

Bullying & Harassment…

any electronic, written, verbal, or physical act or conduct toward a student which is based on any actual or perceived trait or characteristic of the student and which creates an objectively hostile school environment.

The Law

DefinitionsBullying is a form of social interaction, not necessarily long-standing, in which a more dominant individual exhibits aggressive behavior that is intended to, and does, in fact, cause distress to a less dominant individual.

More than one bully and more than one target may participate in the interaction.

Dorothea Ross (1996)

Suggestions

DefinitionsA student is being bullied when he A student is being bullied when he or she is exposed, repeatedly and or she is exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more students. part of one or more students. Bullying implies an imbalance in power or strength. The student who is bullied has difficulty defending himself/herself..

Dan Olweus Dan Olweus (1993)

Suggestions

Indirect Bullying Behavior

© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004

• Getting another person to assault someone

• Spreading rumors

• Deliberate exclusion from a group or activity

• Cyber-bullying

Suggestions

Direct Bullying Behavior

• Hitting, kicking, shoving, spitting…

• Taunting, teasing, degrading racial or sexual comments

• Threatening, obscene gestures

© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, © The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 20042004

Suggestions

Relational Bullying

© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004

•Targets relationships and social status to cause harm to peers.

•It can combine direct and indirect bullying strategies.

Suggestions

Relational Bullying

© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004

• In contrast to what we often read about in the popular press, it’s important to point out that both European and US studies have shown that relational bullying is equally common among both boys and girls, although their techniques tend to vary by gender. (Bvorkvist and Lagerspatz) (Crick)

Suggestions

Differences in Behaviors & Intent

Rough Play Real Fighting Bullying

Usually friends - often repeated

Usually not friends – typically not repeated

Typically not friends - repeated

Balance of power Power relatively equal

Unequal power

No intent to harm Intent to harm Intent to harm

Affect is mutual, positive

Affect is aggressive, hostile, tense, negative

Affect is aggressive, negative (differs for victim & aggressor)

Facts

Adapted from Teacher Handbook – Chapter 4; Pages 14-14 @The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group

Different Behaviors – Different Consequences

Rough Play• An elementary student

spits on a friend’s soccer ball & kicks it away.

• Two middle school students wrestle during down time in PE.

• A high school student pushes a friend as he walks down the hall.

Real Fighting• Two 4th grade

students come to blows during recess.

• Two 8th grade students start a fight with each other during athletic practice.

• Two varsity players throw punches during a Friday night game.

Suggestions

Thinking about the information shared thus far, what has struck a chord with you?

Conditions Resulting from Bullying/Harassment

1. Harms student’s person or property.

2. Affects student’s physical/mental health.

3. Affects student’s academic performance.

4. Affects student’s ability to participate -benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided to a student.

The Law

Students Who are Bullied…

Can have lower academic achievement than their peers

Suffer from anxiety and depression

Have suicidal ideation much more often than their peers

Facts

% of Students Who have Planned to or Tried to Commit Suicide

Facts

17 Classes Protected by LawIncludes but not limited to:Includes but not limited to:

• Age• Color• Creed• National Origin• Race• Marital Status• Sex• Family Status• Sexual

Orientation

• Gender Identity• Physical

Attribution• Physical or Mental

Ability• Disability• Ancestry• Political Party

Preference• Socio-economic

Status• Religion

The Law

Characteristics of Students Who are Bullied

• Cautious, sensitive, quiet, withdrawn, & shy

• Anxious, insecure, unhappy, & low self-esteem

• Depressed & engage in suicidal ideation

Facts

@ 2007 Hazelden

Characteristics of Students Who are Bullied

• Often do not have a single good friend

• Relate better to adults

• Physically weaker than their peers, if they are boys

Facts

@ 2007 Hazelden

Characteristics of Students Who Engage in Bullying Behavior

• Positive attitude toward violence & use of violent means

• Strong need to dominate and subdue others

• Impulsive and easily angered

• Show little empathy

Facts

@ 2007 Hazelden

Characteristics of Students Who Engage in Bullying Behavior

• Defiant and aggressive toward adults

• Involved in other antisocial or rule-breaking activities (vandalism, delinquency, substance abuse)

• If boys, physical stronger

• More likely to own a gun for risky reasons

Facts

@ 2007 Hazelden

Thinking about the information shared thus far, what has struck a chord with you?

Provisions of a District Bullying & Harassment

Policy

• Procedure for reportingreporting, including persons responsible

• Procedure for investigationinvestigation of complaints

• Procedure for the publicationpublication of policy

The Law

Harassment and Bullying Prevention

What Doesn’t Work…

• Zero Tolerance Policies• Group Treatment for Students

Who Bully• Conflict Resolution• Peer Mediation• One Shot Assemblies• Ignoring the Problem

Suggestions

10 Components of a Quality Bully Prevention Program

• Coordinating group

• Assess bullying at school

• Focus on the school environment

• Support prevention

• Train all staff

• Establish and enforce school rules and policies

Suggestions

10 Components of a Quality Bully Prevention Program (cont.)

• Increase adult supervision

• Intervene consistently & appropriately

• Focus classroom time on bullying prevention

• Continue the effort over time

Suggestions

First Steps…

Share this presentation with staff– Review the definition of

bullying/harassment with all school personnel, including volunteers• It may be helpful to provide examples

of what bullying/harassment is and is not

– Clarify procedures for supervision and on-the-spot intervention when bullying/harassment is observed• It may be helpful to role model an

example of an on-the-spot intervention

Law

First Steps (Cont.)

Share this presentation with staff (cont.)– Review the consequences for a person who

violates the anti-bullying/harassment policy• It may be helpful to access Stan Davis’s

materials at www.stopbullyingnow.com

– Review procedure for reporting and documenting incidents of bullying/harassment• It may be helpful to inform school personnel

that incidents must now be reported annually to the DE (BEDS document)

Law

Suggested Next Steps

Study data to determine the extent of bullying/harassment in your school– Possible Data Sources:

• Iowa Youth Survey• Discipline Referrals• Bully Victim Questionnaire (Olweus)• Other Student Surveys• Nurse/Counselor/Anecdotal Records• Student Focus Group• Attendance Records

Suggestions

Suggested Next Steps (Cont.)

Data analysis1)What does the data tell us?

2) What questions are created from the data?

3) What other data may be needed?

4) What actions should be taken?

Suggestions

Take a moment and record some next steps that you should take after today’s presentation….

What else do you need?

Iowa Department of Education

• Anti Bullying Anti Harassment webpage– http://www.iowa.gov/educate/content/view/

030/917/Page index

Overview

Iowa Contact

AEA Support Network

Legal Requirements

Guiding Practices

Olweus Program Information

Supporting Documents

Calendar of Events

Supporting Links

AEA Network of Support

• AEA 1 Steve Heer & Dee Ann Blanchard

• AEA 267 Dawn Jeager, Connie Stille, & Jaymie Randel

• AEA 8 Becky Kinnander & Linda Linn

• AEA 9 Cindy Swanson, Barb Brunkan, Jill Yates, Dan Jens, and Jean Simpson

• AEA 10 Anne Taylor

AEA Network of Support• AEA 11 Karolyn Zeller

• AEA 13 Carol Johnson & Cinda Rachow

• AEA 14 Kathy Lockard

• Great Prairie AEA Mike Monfils & Mike Peters

• Northwest AEA Jill Helm & Flora Lee

Questions/Support - Bullying/Harassment

• Penny.bisignano@iowa.gov

515.281.7806

Questions/Support - Learning Supports

•cyndy.erickson@iowa.gov

515.281.8514