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Bullying

 WHAT IS BULLYING?

  

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems. 

In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include:

• An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people.

• Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once or have the potential to happen more than once.

Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.
(www.stopbullying.gov)

  

 

When Is It Bullying?

1. Friendly Teasing

  • Power: Equal power

  • Frequency: Neutral

  • Mood: Playful

  • Purpose: Joins relationships

  • Feeling: Funny to both parties

  • Resolution: Not specified

  • Example:

    • One student comments to another student that he should turn his jersey inside out because his favorite team lost last night.

2. Hurtful Teasing

  • Power: Unequal power

  • Frequency: Sensitive topic

  • Mood: Purpose is to upset

  • Purpose: Excludes

  • Feeling: Sarcastic

  • Resolution: Not specified

  • Example:

    • One girl comments to another girl that she looks fat in the outfit she's wearing.

3. Peer Conflicts

  • Power: Equal power

  • Frequency: Occurs occasionally

  • Mood: Accidental

  • Purpose: Negotiations and options

  • Feeling: Withdrawing and options

  • Resolution: Relationship is valued; both parties make an effort to resolve

  • Example:

    • Two students have a disagreement on the playground about which one will be the pitcher in kickball.

4. Bullying

  • Power: Imbalance of power

  • Frequency: Occurs repeatedly

  • Mood: Intentional and serious

  • Purpose: Seeks to gain power

  • Feeling: Victim is vulnerable

  • Resolution: No remorse; no effort to resolve

  • Examples:

    1. One student repeatedly threatens another student that if he walks down a specific hallway, he will get beat up.

    2. One student repeatedly calls another student a name regarding his sexual orientation.

 

POLICIES

The Darlington County School District has several policies related to bullying. All policies can be found in the district's searchable online policy manual. You can access the online policy manual by clicking here.

  

RESOURCES

  

OTHER TYPES OF AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR (FROM STOPBULLYING.GOV)

 

There are many other types of aggressive behavior that don’t fit the definition of bullying. This does not mean that they are any less serious or require less attention than bullying. Rather, these behaviors require different prevention and response strategies.
   

TO REPORT A BULLYING SITUATION, PLEASE CALL YOUR CHILD'S PRINCIPAL OR (843)398-2269.