For many kids, bullying is a serious problem in our schools. Unfortunately there are some who still don't take bullying seriously, even some school officials. It seems as though many cases of bullying are just swept under the rug until someone gets seriously injured or even worse, commits suicide. Sure enough, after someone gets hurt, everyone becomes "concerned". In many cases, school officials stated they didn't even know it was going on, despite numerous complaints from both parents and students. The Department of Education has decided to step in and even threatened that schools who fail to enforce anti-bullying policies could lose federal funding. These policies came after the recent suicides of five gay teenagers, but some wonder whether these policies are the right way to handle the situation, and many even think the Department of Education is "bullying" the schools into submission.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan is urging schools to enforce federal civil rights laws that prohibit harassment of students based on race, national origin, religion, and gender. The Department of Education will also use court rulings on gender discrimination to include gay and lesbian students to these protected groups. Both schools and colleges must enforce anti-bullying policies or face the possible loss of federal aid, and the possibility of the Department of Justice being brought in to investigate.
In my opinion, I think the DoE is doing the right thing. In too many cases bullying is overlooked by school officials despite both students and their parents coming forth. Bullying can make school a miserable experience and I firmly believe that every student should have the right to feel safe at school, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, religion etc... Some might even consider what the DoE is doing as bullying too, and while that may be true, sometimes when nothing else works you have to fight fire with fire, and that's exactly what the DoE is doing. High school can be hard enough as it is and you shouldn't have to also worry about being picked on because you look or dress a different way. Perhaps a better "solution" that doesn't involve the federal government would be stronger school policies regarding bullying. It seems that in most cases, the only punishment for bullying received is a slap on the wrist. The old saying "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" isn't always true. You can choose what clothes you wear and how you act/talk, but you can't help your sexual orientation. While any harassment can be hurtful, harassment regarding someones sexual preferences can be the most devastating. Apparently schools have had their chance and failed, so I am glad the federal government has stepped up to the plate.
Fellow classmate Chris had a blog article written a couple weeks ago entitled Department of Education Stands Up to Bullies. The article discussed the Department of Educations new tactics to help prevent bullying in schools. One of these tactics is threatening schools with the loss of federal funding if a school does not enforce civil rights laws which prohibit harassment of students based on race, national origin, religion, and gender. Congress is also in debate right now on whether to also include sexual preference into those rights which are protected. Another tactic is the threat of a federal investigation for schools and/or school administration which fails to comply and enforce these civil right protections.
ReplyDeleteI liked reading Chris' article because this has been a hot topic across America due to the series of high profile student suicides as a result of bullying. However, I had not heard about any legislation that was going on to stop it. I didn't however, find it surprising that many of these students were targeted because of their sexual preferences, which makes me happy to see there are people fighting to protect the rights of these students as well. I also agree with Chris that schools may also need to implement stronger bullying policies, rather than the typical trip to the principal's office or detention. Maybe if schools made it a lot worse for students who targeted fellow peers who were different, bullies would think twice before acting out. Perhaps one punishment could be having to write an essay about the dangers of bullying and to read it at a school assembly. By holding theses bullies accountable, they are not only embarrassed of their actions, but also forced to face the potential dangers in which they are causing.
Like Chris mentioned, in many of these cases, it was found that teachers were aware of the issue and failed to step in to deter it. This is where I am glad to see the Department of Education step in and hold the schools accountable for their failure to prevent it from happening. Chris stated that these actions were the DoE stepping up to the plate...I however, think it is merely a step in the right direction. As sad as it is to say, there will more than likely have to be many more tragedies that occur, before stronger legislation is put into place. Bullying has been around forever, it is unfortunate that the severeness of its consequences are just now becoming a national issue.
In the article by Guerrilla News, I think that bulling should be something that every school take serious. It is sad that now the department of education has to be the one that makes the schools want to make sure every student despite of the race, gender, and sex, feel comfortable at school. Bulling has often been swept under the rug and is not taken serious until a student is hurt or even commits suicide. Some schools now think that the Department of Education is bulling them into submission. If that's what is takes for a school to pay attention to all students then it should be done. No one should have to threaten to take away federal funding just so that they will pay close attention to what goes on in their schools. The old saying "Sticks and Stone may break my bones but words will never hurt me," is not true. Yes you can try and ignore many people but we can only take so much of it. Soon or later people will get tired of hearing the same thing, which then turns in to harassment, when brought up to a teacher one would get told to just not listen to what people tell you. That there is the beginning of bulling. I think that it is very good that the Department of Education is stepping in.
ReplyDeleteSo this article brings up the need for more enforced ant-bullying measures, but what are the measures they are trying to enforce? Or rather, how do you stop a bully? You're article doesn't address what these actual "anti-bullying" policies are.
ReplyDeleteThere is a lucid point also made in regard to schools losing their federal funding if they don't abide as well. Well do you know what part of our taxes is paying for education? I'll give you hint: everytime you buy a pack of cigarettes in the state of Texas you're really paying for education.
Also there is a mention of teachers witnessing this behavior, and doing nothing. But perhaps reprimand should go deeper. Anger management courses disguised as youth social minute could work. Your article brings up a very dire topic, but what are the resolutions to this issue? Your article mentions nothing about whatrules are actually being enforced. Maybe the rules are non-working? Do you know? Are they making bullies go to juvenile, wear dunce caps, or expulsion? I think this article needs to go further in depth.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIn the article, Department of Education Stands Up to Bullies from Guerrilla News, the author argues that "bullying is a serious problem in our schools". He supports the Department of Education that DoE "has decided to step in and even threatened that schools who fail to enforce anti-bullying policies could lose federal funding."
ReplyDeleteI agree with the author and support the Department of Education's decision. Bullying should be recognized as a serious problem and treated in stronger manner.
Here are some facts about school bulling from National Association of School Psychologists:
•Bullying is the most common form of violence in our society; between 15% and 30% of students are bullies or victims.
•A recent report from the American Medical Association on a study of over 15,000 6th-10th graders estimates that approximately 3.7 million youths engage in, and more than 3.2 million are victims of, moderate or serious bullying each year.
•Between 1994 and 1999, there were 253 violent deaths in school, 51 casualties were the result of multiple death events. Bullying is often a factor in school related deaths.
•Membership in either bully or victim groups is associated with school drop out, poor psychosocial adjustment, criminal activity and other negative long-term consequences.
•Direct, physical bullying increases in elementary school, peaks in middle school and declines in high school. Verbal abuse, on the other hand, remains constant. The U.S. Department of Justice reports that younger students are more likely to be bullied than older students.
•Over two-thirds of students believe that schools respond poorly to bullying, with a high percentage of students believing that adult help is infrequent and ineffective.
•25% of teachers see nothing wrong with bullying or putdowns and consequently intervene in only 4% of bullying incidents.
Schools should not just be busy on making anti-bullying policies threatened by DoE. However, schools should recognize the factors and effects of bullying and run prevention programs that can educate students, teachers, and parents to create positive school environment.