Bullying is aggressive behavior that is intentional and involves an imbalance of power or strength. It is a repeated behavior and can be physical, verbal, or relational. While boys may bully others using more physical means; girls often bully others by social exclusion. Bullying has been part of school culture for years. According to Model Policy for School Districts on Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (2005) Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying include: Any gesture or written, verbal or physical act that is reasonably perceived as being motivated either by any actual or perceived attribute such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, culture, social origin or condition, political affiliation, mental, physical or sensory disability, or by any other characteristic, that a reasonable person knows or should have known:
(a) will have the effect of harming the person or damaging the person's property; or
(b) will place a person in reasonable fear of physical harm; or
(c) will demean any person or group of people in such a way as to disrupt or interfere with the
school's educational mission, the education of any student, or the ability of a staff member to perform the essential functions of the staff member’s job.
Teachers, students and parents all have a role to play to mitigate bullying. However, disciplining the bullies is always the best action. To parents, asking your child to a counselling session could help him or her find a voice. It can often be hard to talk about bullying to parents and teachers - sometimes it takes the encouragement of a stranger to really open up. It is therefore the mandate of parents in such schools with bullies to take their childrent to specialized counselors who will take care of those strange behaviours. Teachers have a role to act as parents in their absentia. They should apply professionalism when approached with bullying behaviours. These proffesional approches involve; Transactional analys of the bully, teachers will be abled to understand how bullies communicate and how it can be changed. They should stop focusing on past events and embrace Solution focused brief therapy whereby they will get to understand what the bully wants to achieve and their specific motivating factors.
The schools should rather create awareness on the assertive techniques to the entire student population where they will get to understand how they they can express themselves honestly and in an open way. Some adapt to bullying behaviors due to supriority complex. It is therefore necessary for the schools to create a legal procedure whereby all cases regarding bullying are adressed and the culprits punished accordingly.If it is found there is no case, ways to improve their working life should be considered and support provided. There should be a follow up process by the disciplinary department to ensure no victimisation has taken place and that both parties are happy with the decision.
Finally, it is of great importance for a well established learning institution to provide counselling services to their students. Sometimes bullying is a trait inherited and part of school culture whereby the victims fail to report and later become bullies themselves to continue the trend. There should be an investigative panel among prefects and student leaders whose mandate is to identify the trait and report to higher authorities for action. The authorities should have a clear guidline on disciplinary actions that reflect the mision, vision and the core values of the institution. With the right procedures and resource persons as well as timing, bullying behaviours can be mitigated and culprits as well as victims identified in time for disciplinary action.
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