Bullying Affects Teachers, Students, and Parents

Bullying Affects Teachers, Students, and Parents

Devin L. Digilormo

Texas Wesleyan University

Bullying Affects Teachers, Students, and Parents

Bullying is a major issue in the school system for today’s society. Every day, students are physically harassed, verbally abused, and picked on by other students and the problems this creates affect not only the student being bullied, but also other students, teachers, and parents. Current anti-bullying laws and rules are not enough to control and reverse the problem. As a former victim of bullying looking from the inside of the situation, I believe programs need to be implemented that address all of the problems associated with bullying and be maintained to prevent future issues.

Bullying is intentional, hurtful, mistreatment and can range from verbal and physical abuse, negative social and relational behaviors, and even to cyber bullying. Students that are bullied suffer emotional damage leading them to feel scared about being at school, having depression, and in extreme cases can lead to violent retaliation and even suicide. Bystanders that allow bullying are affected as well, they can fear that the bullying will turn directly to them, if they are already emotionally vulnerable the trauma can send them into depression, and also the learning environment is complicated by bullying. “Fourteen percent of surveyed students in grades 8 to 12 and 22 percent in grades 4 to 8 reported that ‘bullying diminished their ability to learn in school (Facts about Bullying, 2010 November 8th).’” Teachers can feel powerless in situations where they don’t have proper means to stop bullying, and the feelings they go through when bullying ends in the extreme circumstance of suicide or retaliation are unimaginable. Children who bully others may have social and emotional problems, and their behavior can escalate into other problems. According to the Maine Project Against Bullying, recent studies and experts say, “Bullies identified by...