School Bullies

[Tarub]

One of the reason on the Columbine and Virginia Tech killings is school bullies.

Now there a website that kids can report school bullies anonymously.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081014/ap_on_re_us/bullies_internet

SALT LAKE CITY - Hoping to combat the "snitch" label that often leads to silent suffering, six Utah schools have introduced a Web site that allows students to anonymously report bullies.

A Brigham Young University student, Justin Bergener, created the site, which also lets students post information about thefts, drugs and harassment.

Bergener said he hopes students who might otherwise be too scared or shy to speak up will be willing to post on the site.

"There really is this culture and code of silence that's particularly prevalent in middle schools and high schools," Bergener said.

Many students may not want to be seen in the office talking to an authority figure, said Rosanna Ungerman, principal of Provo's Dixon Middle School.

"It allows students to have an outlet and avenue to report things they might otherwise not have reported," Ungerman said.

Nearly 50 schools in other states are also using the Web site.

Here's how it works: School administrators are made aware of any tips either by e-mail or text message, Bergener said. For some schools, students have to create a logon and password to send a tip, but they still remain anonymous, though. But in most cases, schools allow anyone to send a tip with no need to give personal information.

"They'd rather have 10 good ones and one false one than none at all," Bergener told The Associated Press on Monday.

Bergener said his Web site is simply a third party that ships the tips along. SchoolTipline, which also has participating schools in Texas, Washington, California and Arizona, doesn't read the tips or reply to them. If a tip goes unread for a day or so, though, SchoolTipline reminds schools it's there.

The six Utah schools using the Web site include elementary, middle and high schools.

Even some parents have reported incidents anonymously, said Judy Runolfson, Lehi Junior High's assistant principal.

"There's a greater awareness that it's a situation that needs to be looked into right away because we know it can lead from something that's not that bad to something much worse," Runolfson said.

 

[Halon451]

Oh boy, this could be really really good or really really bad. I could honestly foresee such a system being abused by those ratting out others to get them in trouble just because they don't like them, etc. But, I also think that something needs to be put into place to allow the kids that are genuinely getting bullied to seek some sort of help, especially those that feel there is none and continue to put up with it day after day.

 

[jostenmeat]

Interesting. While I never cared for bullies, it was the people that were continually picked on or beaten up that I felt bad for. There were only a few back in high school, but I have to admit one of them kept asking for it I suppose. Pride, I suppose.

OTOH, I'm not sure how much something like that can reduce Columbine type travesties. I don't think persons like that will necessarily feel marginalized from bullies so much as larger and/or more subtle socialization issues that we all live with. I mean, if you wear all black everyday, all Goth, its not like the varsity quarterback is normally your best friend.

Reminds of a developmental psych class I took in college. I remember some videos/documentaries of young classes around the world. One school I remember in Japan had the little bully just running rampant. The doc was explaining that the teachers believed that the social issues should be resolved within their young social network. Lord of the Flies?

as I typed this, I see Halon has already posted, and +1.

 

[mazersteven]

One way to stop school bullies.

Kick Their A$$

I learned a long time ago that once you stop running from the bullies, and stand up to them. They aren't bullies anymore. One day I just got tired of running.

"I'm sick of running from these wimps"

 

[Halon451]

One way to stop school bullies.

Kick Their A$$

I learned a long time ago that once you stop running from the bullies, and stand up to them. They aren't bullies anymore. One day I just got tired of running.

Warriors! Come out to pla-yeee!

I agree, nothing but truth in what you speak. However, a lot of kids simply don't have it in them to stand up like that, unfortunately. Those who don't deserve another way to fight back. Or they just need to cowboy up and learn not to take any sh*t from anyone - I do believe the sooner a person learns this, the better off they are in life.

 

[yettitheman]

eh... words are cheap. That's the first thing to remember. People can say anything, but it won't hurt you. TRUST ME on this.

"Hey, Seth=L, you are defying logic by saying something generically different than my belief" (or in short) "Hey, you idiot!"

Now, he will read this and go "WTF? He's joking, right? Probably."
I am in this case. What if it was someone else or I wasn't joking?
You just need to see words as a joke sometimes.

Now when things get physical, that's when things change.
That's when a bully needs a tazer to the kidney area

 

[jamie2112]

Simple fact is most bullies are really cowards and if you stand up to them most of the time they will back off.....

 

[Alex2507]

My oldest is around 20 years old now. He remembers back to when he was 3 or 4 when I told him what to do in pre-school to deal with bullying. It had something to do with rocks, heads, blood, not stopping after they went down, not stopping until you got pulled off and never telling anybody I said that because I would deny it. It opened his eyes to the kind of damage anyone could do should the need arise and kind of freaked him out about me. Is that wrong to do to a kid?

 

[mudrummer99]

My oldest is around 20 years old now. He remembers back to when he was 3 or 4 when I told him what to do in pre-school to deal with bullying. It had something to do with rocks, heads, blood, not stopping after they went down, not stopping until you got pulled off and never telling anybody I said that because I would deny it. It opened his eyes to the kind of damage anyone could do should the need arise and kind of freaked him out about me. Is that wrong to do to a kid?

Naw, you were teaching him interpersonal skills and self reliance.

 

[MidnightSensi]

So... you anonymously tip off the school using this website that there is going to be a fight in the cafeteria and then while they are there waiting for that you can go sell some herb in the parking lot free and clear?

Cool. Great site.

That kid who designed that site must have had the **** kicked out of him.

Bullies suck but they usually end up serving you fries when they get older, so, it kind of evens out.

 

[bandphan]

IMO its a good idea, as are most programs that are intending to encourage persons to be proactive in stopping violence.

 

[rnatalli]

I guess this is an area I'm not so liberal. When I was bullied, I knocked their teeth into the dirt. They never bothered me again. Although these days you have to be careful because you could get shot. Then again, it's usually those being bullied that end up blasting everyone away.

 

[Matt34]

I grew up in a very small rural town and school bullies were out of control. I don't know if it was a lack of things for kids to do or what but it was bad. Most of it revolved around the clothes you wore and how much money your parents made. I grew up poor as dirt and was very shy but I never got bothered too much being involved in wrestling, football, etc. and it probably didn't hurt that I could bench press 315lbs by the 11th grade. I did stick up for my friends though and almost choked a kid out because of it. I couldn't stand it and my parents always had my back if I was doing what was right.

 

[NapaDRB]

Several years ago when my youngest son was in the 8th grade he was a teachers assistant for a class of mentally handicapped kids. It was a good thing, my son really enjoyed it, the kids loved him, and the teacher thought he was great.

One day he had "his kids", as he referred to them out on the lawn reading them a book. A kid walking by started making fun of the handicapped kids, and as my son told me "that really made me mad, but I saw that the kids hadn't noticed him, so I just kept reading".

Later at lunch he ran into the kid who was talking trash and tried to calmly explain to him that making fun of handicap people wasn't cool and he needed to not do it anymore. The kid got right in my sons face and said f**k you. At this point my son straight armed the kid, who then fell on his back and my son bent down close to his face and said "maybe you didn't understand me, so let me say it a different way, if you do that again I will kick your *ss.

Needless to say my son got called into the Principals office and after he explained his side the Principal said "by the rules I'm supposed to suspend you for putting your hands on someone else, but considering the circumstances I think I'll forget this ever happened".

I was quite proud.

 

[mazersteven]

and it probably didn't hurt that I could bench press 315lbs by the 11th grade.

OK Arnold

 

[PSWii60]

give me your lunch money

 

[unreal.freak]

I'm a firm believer in getting kids involved in some sort of self defense class when they are young. There are numerous martial arts schools around here. In some of the larger areas there are some boxing schools as well. These not only prepare kids for potential bullies, but it can teach self discipline as well. I didn't like bullies in school either, i was in many fights because i wouldn't be bullied. Most often when i was pushed to the point of action, even if the other person backed down, i wouldn't stop. I'm ashamed to speak of this due to the fact that it was wrong to fight, but sometimes it is a necessity.

Peace,
Tommy

 

[jamie2112]

I teach my kids how to defend themselves as a last resort. I was a fighter when I was young and I don't want my son going down that path. That being said I show him how to defend himself quite often because he likes the workout... Good boy...

 

[Joe Schmoe]

I can definitely understand bullies being the cause of school shootings. I was harassed by bullies when I was in middle school, and if I had had access to a gun, I might well have killed a couple of them.