Bullying Prevention – A Window of Opportunity

With the beginning of each school year our office begins to receive the sincere, heartfelt calls from parents regarding their concerns about school or sports based bullying. Theses parents are most disturbed over the manner in which schools are utilizing, or not, available bullying prevention programs. We educators, public health officials and pediatric health care specialists should listen and react appropriately to these legitimate concerns. Bullying, also referred to as peer harassment or peer abuse, is a significant problem. Upwards of 30% of our children are bullied every day; every day 160,000 children miss school; and every seven minutes a child is bullied at school. Additionally, middle school bullies are 3 times more likely to have at least one criminal conviction by the age of 24. Bullying is a factor in school absenteeism, higher drop-out rates, low academic achievement, diminished learning capacity, childhood depression, teen drug & alcohol use, and teen suicide.

The challenges we face in addressing this distressing situation include the lack of evidence-based practice prevention programs and the schools’ ability to implement these prevention programs with fidelity. This is an issue with all programs – obesity, injury prevention, suicide prevention, etc. Another issue that must be addressed is how long the school- based program should be continued in order to obtain optimal results. Buy-in by the leadership is essential to a successful program. Some schools experience a fairly frequent turnover of superintendents, principals, school counselors, and other staff which requires a renewed, timely commitment to the bullying prevention program.

Based on all the above, we are learning that schools cannot possibly manage these programs alone. As with any public health epidemic, bullying prevention takes a diverse group of professionals, parents, coaches, bus drivers, lunch room monitors, etc. to achieve maximum results and ensure that it succeeds. With the support and commitment of the Highmark Foundation and Dr. Zahorchak, Pennsylvania Secretary of Education, Pennsylvania has taken the lead in the U.S. in addressing this most prevalent form of school violence in our society today. The results are significant and can be reviewed in a future commentary or editorial piece.

So the advice we offer to schools, parents and other leaders in our community:

• Effective bullying prevention programs are available to schools. Every school in western PA should have one in place.
• Use these evidence-based programs to the fullest and make every effort to comply with the evaluation process of that program.
• Physicians should refer to the American Academy of Pediatrics’ policy statement of recommendations to pediatricians on how best to respond to questions or observations when they arise in an office visit.
• Remember, that when we are dealing with actual violent acts or significant behavioral issues requiring medical advice or counseling, we have often gone beyond what any school-based bullying prevention program can provide.
• Schools must develop a formal line of communication with parents when a bullying complaint is filed since the state now mandates, through recent legislation, that schools officially respond to such complaints.
• Peer harassment that we observe in school-based sports has to end. Sideline taunting by parents and coaches at youth sports must end.

Lastly, to move to a point where bullying behaviors decrease in school will require a change in the culture and climate of our schools as well as our homes. The student and teacher bystander observing peer abuse in a school must learn to react immediately and report such events immediately. Parent-teacher organizations and school boards must become much better informed on the issue and take the lead to insure that an evidence-based bullying prevention program is firmly embedded in their schools; are done correctly with the highest degree of fidelity; and stay beyond any changes made in staff.

As it has taken years to address teen smoking, teen pregnancy, and seat belt use, it will take a generation of commitment to address this issue of school-based violence. Most importantly, we need to listen, observe, and be empathetic to the concerns and pleas of our parents, students and teachers who are trying to make a difference.