Bullying: zero tolerance

by Editor · May 2, 2012

A new American documentary titled Bully is currently making international news, bringing to the forefront a social problem that is ever more difficult to address, even as public awareness and efforts by educators increase.

Poster for the documentary "Bully"

The documentary witnesses the realities of bullying � such as a pupil�s terror before he leaves for school which is then horribly realised in the school bus � as well as testimonies from victims of bullying and the parents of a child who committed suicide because he could no longer face his daily persecution.

The problem is acute in South Africa as well, especially with the rise of social media. One recent case in Klerksdorp reportedly involved a group of teenagers taunting an overweight girl, throwing diet pills at her and physically assaulting her with a bottle. This was filmed and uploaded on the Internet, compounding the victim�s humiliation. Several suicides of South African teenagers, and even pre-teens, have been linked to peer abuse, on the school grounds and on the Internet.

The phenomenon of bullying has long been indulged as a rite of passage that forms part of growing up. It has often been defined, inaccurately, to involve acts of physical violence only.

Peer abuse includes not only physical intimidation and extortion, but also non-corporal forms of persecution such as systematic taunting and teasing, sexual harassment, gossip and social ostracism. The latter especially is an insidious type which is difficult to identify and impossible to legislate against.

More recently, bullies have� taken to employing modern means, such as the social platforms of cellphone and Internet technology, to harass their victims, or to coordinate their social exclusion. Although observable, it is difficult to legislate against such forms of victimisation.

Peer abuse is an infringement on the rights of the child. It has a way of compromising the victim�s personal and academic development, especially when a learner stays out of school to avoid being tormented.

Bullying is a social disease that increasingly also infects adult discourse, with an abrogation of civility and charity of thought. We can see this in the conduct of �keyboard warriors� on the Internet, even among Catholics, and in the demagoguery of politicians.

Bullying is, of course, contrary to Gospel values. It subverts God�s love of the individual, especially those who are vulnerable and marginalised. It desecrates the dignity of the individual. The Christian response to bullying is to condemn it, to act against it and to prevent it.

Parents must not accept platitudes from teachers who believe that conflicts are best settled by youngsters themselves, that victims of bullying should immunise themselves from hurt, or that being bullied provides preparation for the hard knocks of adult life. None of these suggestions is good pedagogy.

Schools and parents must adopt a proactive method to bullying. This involves identifying and ending bullying when it occurs, and implementing measures to prevent peer abuse. Such prevention would, of course, include reactive measures, but an effective anti-bullying approach must also seek to identify why a child or teenager engages in abusive behaviour.

Often bullies are themselves bullied, by schoolmates or at home. Others may have psychological problems that require intervention, or are not receiving adequate supervision from their parents. It is self-evident that by addressing the causes of bullying, the effects of the phenomenon can be reduced.

The US National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) recommends that a sound anti-bullying programme should include a zero tolerance policy which is clearly communicated to teachers, student body and parents. Schools must provide the means for victims to report harassment confidentially and equip them with techniques to challenge bullying, and measure levels of bullying.� The NCEA also recommends to �provide bullies with socially appropriate ways to seek attention, power, or whatever motivates their behaviour. In more complex situations refer youth for proper mental health interventions.�

There must be no room in schools and in society for situations that cause children hurt and anxiety. Children have the right to be educated in a safe environment, without fear. It is our collective responsibility to protect that right.