National Anti-Bullying Month is October

Several groups are rallying around October as a time to raise awareness about anti-bullying efforts. A key component of modern bullying and a key emphasis of “The New Bullying” is cyberbullying, and that has played a role in two current cases. * In Canada, 15-year-old Amanda Todd made a video detailing the ways she was …

Bullying targets autism, report says

A report released Monday says that the bullying of autism-spectrum students is a “profound public health problem.” The study was conducted by Paul R. Sterzing, assistant professor at the school of social welfare at the University of California-Berkeley. Sterzing said that students diagnosed with Attention Deficit, Hyperactivity Disorder were also singled out for bullying. The …

Suicides spurred global anti-bullying strategy

By Tommy Franz Staff writer Dan Olweus, a psychology professor in Norway, is often cited as the first major researcher of bullying. Olweus began thoroughly researching the subject in the early 1980’s following the suicides of three boys aged 10-14, all three were potentially consequences of bullying in school. Following these suicides, Olweus went to …

Bullying and rampage school shootings

By Lynn Bentley Staff writer Since the school shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., in 1999, parents, educators and government officials have been worried about a link between bullying and school shootings. Before killing themselves in the school library, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold shot and killed 11 students, one teacher and wounded …

Exploring the suicide connection

By Lynn Bentley Staff writer When journalist Neil Marr and his co-author, Tim Field, coined the word “bullycide” in their 2001 book, “Bullycide: Death at Playtime,” they brought the world’s attention to the devastating link between bullying and suicide.  Bullycide: Death at Playtime was first published in the United Kingdom but has since been published …

School transitions are trouble spots

By Hayley Beitman Staff writer Most people are familiar with classic “first day of school” movie scenes where freshmen are portrayed carrying seniors’ books, doing their chores or being pushed around. The transition from middle school to high school, or even elementary to middle school, can be a difficult one, already filled with changes and …

Private-school bullying

By Nicholas Roddy Staff writer EAST LANSING, Mich. — Forty-eight states now have anti-bullying laws, and most require public school districts to have a policy on bullying. Bullying does not happen only at public schools, though. There are more than 33,000 private schools in the United States. About 5.5 million students attend those schools. However, …

Boys are the more physical bullies

By Sam Schmitt Staff writer The behaviors of boys and girls that bully can be similar, but spotting bullying among boys is much easier than it is with girls. David P. Farrington, professor of psychological criminology at Cambridge University, says that boys that bully are more physical than girls. Psychiatrist Ann Ruth Turkel says boys …

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