<p>“The study concluded that students at schools with anti-bullying programs might actually be more likely to become a victim of bullying. It also found that students at schools with no bullying programs were less likely to become victims.” …</p>
<p>Well, one can’t tell from the news report, but perhaps schools where bullying is a problem institute anti-bullying programs, and where it is not a problem, they don’t. Did the actual study investigate bullying pre- and post-institution of the anti-bullying programs?</p>
<p>Some have reported that bullying victims are often punished as harshly as bullies, since both are parties to a fight or other conflict, and the school officials may not want to investigate who really started it.</p>
<p>I wonder if students at schools that have anti-bullying programs are more likely to identify bullying, and more likely to report it. It could then look like there is “more bullying” when there is just more “reporting of bullying.”</p>
<p>The research suggest quite possibly. Very few anti-bullying programs actually demonstrate reductions in bullying behavior (especially in the US), and some may “teach” new bullying topographies. There’s some promising recent research on interventions that focus on stopping bullying behaviors before they become chronic, serious issues, though.</p>
<p>I know I leave every Weight Watchers meeting ravenously hungry and craving a candy bar, so I think behavioral economics and psychology will have a field day researching why talking about a problem can sometimes exacerbate a problem.</p>
<p>From my limited and layperson’s perspective- our local K-12 schools are all over bullying as an issue right now. I think in some cases it provides a venue for kids who are prone to anti-social and obnoxious behavior to meet other like minded kids (who they otherwise wouldn’t know- other grades, other schools in town at an anti-bullying event, etc.) and then the power of the crowd (or at least a small gang of kids who reinforce each others proclivities.)</p>
<p>Sad, but maybe all the talk focused on the entire school (Don’t turn a blind eye to bullying, we are all responsible, etc.) is the wrong approach. “Back in the day” (when I was in school) kids got “expelled” for violent behavior. Maybe that’s better than all the talking and the interventions and the high priced consultants who go from district to district running these programs???</p>
<p>The anti-bullying applies to teachers too which is hilarious. The principal at the school my W teaches at spends more time handling bully accusations from teachers against other teachers. Hahahahaha!</p>
<p>When laying out the game plan for dealing with bullies at our school, the principal stressed how important it was to understand the bully and get him/her counseling, as though we were dealing with some kind of protected disability. There was zero mention of attending to the victim. At the end of his presentation, I pointed this out to him, and he tripped over himself, with something like, “yes, well that is important, too!”</p>
<p>Could it be that these programs reinforce the bully’s plan to draw attention to himself? Why stop if you are going to get special treatment and attention as a result of it?</p>
<p>Our society has only recently decided that bullying is a significant problem that needs to be addressed, rather than a “normal” part of growing up.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t expect the first efforts to fight it to necessarily be successful. It may take time to develop anti-bullying approaches that work. </p>
<p>But that doesn’t mean that people shouldn’t try.</p>