Bullying

Introduction to Education 1012EPS Assignment 1- Double Entry Journal Essay Tutorial group- 16303 Tutor-John Scanlan Submitted digitally 9/4/2008 Bullying is an age-old problem. In most past social structures bullying has displayed its self in varying forms and was more contained. With the globalisation of world trade, emergence of television, Internet and satellite broadcasting coupled with a worldwide multiculturalism and interracial marriage, the breakdown in traditional family structure and diminishing dependency on and respect for the church and government authority, bullying is rampant in 21st century. Media has normalised bullying and it is often presented as humor. The purpose of this essay is to examine some different forms of bullying, its prevalence and how Australian education may contribute towards dealing with bullying. Cyber bullying, harassment and online safety is the number one issue compromising the safety of kids in schools at the moment. (Smith, 2007). A pilot program has begun in an attempt to tackle cyber bullying, which has arisen and skyrocketed due to the accessibility and affordability of technology which would worsen with the arrival of the 3G network. Reports of abuse have gone from monthly to weekly to daily targeting children as young as 8 years old. (Smith, 2007) Footage of young girls naked or having sex can easily end up on the Web with an audience of millions (Smith, 2007), after a relationship breakup. This can lead to dramatic ramifications such as the ruin of future careers, marriage prospects and family relationships. However, bullying is not confined to children and cyberspace alone. Findings from a Union survey suggesting 41.5 percent of non-teaching support staff have been bullied by principals and colleagues. (Tomazin, 2004) Of the 229 staff who responded to the survey, most were women aged 50 years and older citing bullying by teachers or co-workers but most said that the principal had bullied them. (Tomazin, 2004) This may indicate that while the problem of bullying is not new, its victims may take a whole lifetime to develop the inner strength to come forward to name a bully. The Australian public has virtually no idea of how prevalent the problem of bullying is. Online bullying may account for to “up to 90% of all school abuse”. (Smith, 2007) A boy aged 10 reiterates how he was repeatedly physically bullied at school and is now terrified to go back to school after the acting principal moved the bully to another class. “If Educators are in the ‘business’ of promoting and communicating values such as ‘get in and have a go’, it is the right thing to use our talents to help others, to offer respect and courtesy to our peers and adults and to have respect for differences in others” (Lovatt et.al 2004, pp. 3,9). Large numbers of volunteer and support staff have also reported being bullied by principals and colleagues. Cases of violence have been reported where a school services officer had a microphone cord wrapped around their neck and another was physically struck by a business manager in a heated argument over school budgets. Workplace bullying is as serious a problem for non-teaching staff as it is for teachers, with low morale, loss of motivation are among the consequences, as well as staff claiming sick leave, workers’ compensation or simply leaving the job. (Tomazin, 2004) When education providers resort to violent behavior and aggression to settle arguments or solve disputes, inevitably those attitudes and issues are imposed upon impressionable students and the culture for bullying is set. Does a pattern of dictatorial ‘leadership’ occur in any other or every other institution for mass social control and/or social development (schools, jails, police service (The Fitzgerald Enquiry), hospitals (The Haneef debacle)' Is there an underlying culture of fear in our schools and if so, why are too many of our principals and teachers acting out their fears and frustrations on children and consequently overlooking student bullying' Above all, a teacher is required to be skillful and studious and to present themselves in a way which both deserves and commands respect, both in dress and conduct. It is important for a teacher to pay attention to every detail of his or her communication in dress, speech and attitude, for the teacher is an esteemed role model in the development of society on one of the most personal levels of a child’s development. A teacher is expected to take their profession seriously and to behave responsibly. The teacher must possess a certain personal respectability in their speech, in the company they keep, in their attire, and must at least distinguish themselves “from the peasant” (Rural School Library, 1781, cited in LaVopa 1980, p.33). Children need to be made distinctly and acutely aware that the teacher has advantages over the student, and that those advantages are most desirable, wonderful things that they should aspire to possess. Teachers are role models. In many cases, principals may think they are taking a serious approach, yet results speak for themselves. When a bully continues to seek out a boy to torment him, even though the principal assures parents that it was taken very seriously and “dealt with appropriately”, yet the acting principal decided to keep the bully in school. The bullying continues and soon after the boy is forced to leave the school for his own sanity and protection. (Metlikovec, 2007) This begs the question of our values and the message that these types of outcomes are underpinning: that the victim of bullying cannot trust authority (the school) to protect him from social danger occurring within the bounds of his school attendance. Rather than teaching students psychological measures to deal more effectively with bullying, children are left no option than to run (and experience diminished self-esteem and confidence in the process) or to fight back and risk being ostracised by his teachers and peers, risk possible suspension and depending on the level of his retaliation; expulsion. The degree in which the child might retaliate varies with factors not exclusive to peer support or threat of loss of support of peers. The perpetrator’s personal popularity or the fear the perpetrator may manage to instill in other children to ensure compliance and support of his actions (the fear of having it done to them if they speak out). The amount of pressure the victim is under, the duration and intensity of bullying, as well as external factors such as the home lives of both the bully and the victim also come into play. For what reason should the victim rather than the perpetrator of the bullying have to leave the school' Teachers and parents are a vital cog in the fight to control the newest frontier in childhood bullying. (Smith, 2007). Parents, teachers, government and society have a responsibility to train the generations to become confident, assertive, rational human beings. In conclusion, it is vital to take a zero-tolerance approach towards bullying. Educating society into a psychology of tolerance and fairness on a national level and to administer prompt strategies for dealing with bullying needs to occur if there is to be change. Sending a clear and concise message that will not be tolerated in our society as such elements in society’s culture which block growth and development of children, adolescents and adults can be termed cultural abuse. A century from now it will be thought ridiculous that we have not laid out lists and examined and taught to children what influences and causes people to be full-hearted, free-spirited and daring-minded (Mary Pipher, Ph.D., 1994, Reviving Ophelia). To deal with this cultural cancer, a national guideline needs be drawn, implemented, funded and communicated from a governmental level to train every participant in the social system including headmasters, teachers, support staff and students and parents in order to effect social change. REFERENCES Lovatt, T. (2004) Values-free public education: The supreme anomaly. Professional Educator, pp3, 9 Metlikovec, J. (2007) Bullying forces boy to change schools [Electronic Version] news.com.au, October 19, 2007. Retrieved 10/03/2008 from http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22609842-2862,00.html Pipher, M. Ph.D. (1994). Reviving Ophelia. Saving the selves of adolescent girls p.356 Rural School Library. (1781), cited in LaVopa 1980, p.33. Smith, B. (2007) Cyber cop starts internet beat as bullies run rampant [Electronic Version], April 2, 2007. Retrieved 10/03/2008 from http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/cyber-cop-starts-internet-beat-as-bullies-run-rampant/2007/04/01/1175366078758.html Tomazin, F. (2004) School bullying goes further than teachers [Electronic Version] theage.com.au June 11, 2004. Retrieved 10/03/2008 from http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/06/10/1086749839813.html'from=moreStories