A child who is being bullied at school can be impacted in many different ways. There is never a situation in which bullying should be allowed in schools. The school system should take steps to prevent these types of situations and to stop them if they occur. Parents who have children who are the victims might wonder what they can do about these matters. In many cases, there are legal actions that you can take. Here are a few points to know about bullying in schools.
Around 70.6 percent of students say they’ve noticed bullying in their school. Close to the same amount, 70.4 percent, of school staff members say the same things. Around 30 percent of students admit that they’ve bullied others when surveyed.
Stepping in when a person is being bullied is frightening to many students and even some teachers. When a bystander does step in, 57 percent of the time, the behavior stops within 10 seconds.
While there are many types of bullying, social and verbal are the most common. Physical bullying comes in third and cyberbullying comes in last. Some examples of bullying include:
- Stealing belongings
- Spreading lies and rumors
- Name calling
- Leaving the victim out of activities
- Threatening
- Hitting, kicking and slapping
- Pushing and shoving
Unfortunately, not many students report that they’ve been bullied. Only around 20 percent report the incidents to adults. Whether they report it or not, they are greatly impacted by the bullying. In the most severe cases, the young victim will die by suicide.
Whether the child dies from the bullying or has other effects, parents do have the right to hold the school accountable. Finding out what you are able to do can help you to plan your next steps.