DEAR PARENT OF BULLY
It starts at home. A daily reminder about the importance of respect and love for peers is very important. The same amount of empathize placed on good grades should be placed on love and respect for peers. Leading by example is huge. If you’re a snobby, disrespectful person chances are your kid will become just like you. Bullying is serious business. Kids are committing suicide left, right and center at the hands of their peers. As the parent of a bully, make a conscious effort to teach your child to love their peers. Make sure. Whatever you do, don’t look the other way. Worst case scenario your child bullies someone to death. The story makes front page news followed by threats, name calling and insults which drive you and your family out of town. All of this because you the parent refused to put in the work and teach your kid the importance of love and respect for peers.
DEAR PARENT OF BULLIED CHILD
Tell the school officials what’s going on right away. Follow up with the principal to ensure something’s been done about the situation. As well, follow up with your child to ensure the bullying has ended. If the bullying continues, remove your child from the school, then contact your local news station and expose the school. Schools have a responsibility to protect children. Should you decide to send your child to another educational facility, make sure to research the school and find out what kind of anti-bullying practices they have in place. Home and online schooling are options as well. Note: If you live in the state of Texas “David’s Law provides pro bono legal advocacy for targets of bullying and their families.
DEAR BULLY BYSTANDER
Be a leader not a follower. Do the right thing and stand up for your peers because when other kids see you acting bravely it will rub off on them. Courage and bravery is respected by peers who will be more likely to do the same.
DEAR BULLY VICTIM
You need to tell your parents right away. DO NOT DELAY! Nobody has the right to mistreat you. You are special. You are important. You are my personal friend. Do me this favor little cobra. Think about what you would like to be in life, then go for it. Do not let anyone or anything steal your dreams. If I beat the odds, so can you.
DEAR BULLY
Deep down inside, you’re one great kid. Channel your anger and strength in a positive way. Hit the bag. Talk to someone. Do sports. Get a hobby. Anything positive will more likely than not bring out the best in you. Bullying destroys lives. We can not take out our frustrations on one another, no ifs ands or buts. Become a part of the solution, not the problem. Let’s make a pact. As of today, no more bullying. Raise your right hand and repeat Cobraman Pledge to Peer out loud, located in the footer of this website off the home page.
BULLYING STATISTICS
1.) According to statistics reported by ABC News, nearly 30 percent of students are either bullies or victims of bullying, and 160,000 kids stay home from school every day because of fear of bullying.
2.) Between 4–12 per cent of boys and girls in grades 6 through 10 report having been bullied once a week or more.
3.) For boys, bullying behavior peaks in grade nine at 47 per cent, while it peaks for girls in grades six, eight and nine at 37 percent.
4.) Over 80 percent of the time, bullying happens with peers around—and 57 percent of the time, bullying stops within 10 seconds when a bystander steps in.
5.) Boys are more likely to experience direct forms of bullying (physical aggression) while girls experience more indirect forms of bullying including cyber bullying.
6.) Bullying occurs in school playgrounds every seven minutes and once every 25 minutes in the classroom. Less than 10 percent of bullied children tell someone.
TRENDS IN BULLYING & HARASSMENT
1.) Since 2002, fighting behavior has increased, especially in grades six to eight. As many as 18 percent of boys and 8 percent of girls report having been in four or more fights in the past year.
STATISTICS ON BULLYING & SUICIDE
1.) Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people, resulting in about 4,400 deaths per year, according to the CDC. For every suicide among young people, there are at least 100 suicide attempts. Over 14 percent of high school students have considered suicide, and almost 7 percent have attempted it.
2.) Bully victims are between 2 to 9 times more likely to consider suicide than non-victims, according to studies by Yale University.
3.) A study in Britain found that at least half of suicides among young people are related to bullying.
4.) 10 to 14 year old girls may be at even higher risk for suicide, according to the study above.
5.) Fox Cities LIFE Study and select priorities, found statistics on youth suicide and bullying to be sobering. 12 percent of high-schoolers have attempted suicide.
ANTI-BULLYING DAYS TO REMEMBER
1.) Bullying Awareness Week – Celebrated Every November.
2.) International Day Of Pink – Celebrated Every April.
3.) Pink Day – Celebrated Every February.
4.) Stand Up Against Bullying Day – Celebrated 2nd Thursday in September (Northern Ontario)
5.) World Bullying Prevention Day (Blue Shirt Day) – First Monday in October
6.) National Bullying Month in America – October
