Educators and students are often in denial about school bullying, but it is a pervasive problem with effects that can linger for decades, a state expert told Richmond County educators Tuesday.
Often, it's dismissed as a rite of passage, mere "bugging" or a way to build character, said Garry McGiboney, Georgia's associate superintendent. But almost 30 percent, or 5.7 million, American children report being bullied, he told a training session of school social workers, counselors and graduation coaches.
Classmates, teachers and other adults see it but say or do nothing, he said.
This was true for Ben Vodden, an 11-year-old in Great Britain who hanged himself in 2006 after months of bullying from his peers, the associate superintendent said.
"Don't sit there and tell me, ladies and gentlemen, with all due respect, that bullying is not an issue, and don't sit there, ladies and gentlemen, with all due respect, and tell me bullying is an issue, but it's not that bad, and don't dare tell me in your opinion that you can handle it all by yourself, it's a rite of passage, it builds character, tell kids to toughen up, it's not our responsibility," Dr. McGiboney said. "The harsh reality is that bullying is not a rite of passage. It is violence. It destroys lives."
In a survey, 60 percent of adults remember being bullied as a child, he said. And bullies don't change their behavior after leaving school. By the age of 24, 60 percent of bullies have a felony conviction and they are four times as likely to have multiple convictions, he said.
Students who suffer bullying turn within themselves, becoming loners or committing suicide. They also turn to an "equalizer," a weapon to act out against those who bullied them, he said.
Schools must work to create an atmosphere in which bullying isn't tolerated and students feel comfortable reporting it, Dr. McGiboney said.
Educators are a significant reason why bullying is underreported, he said, citing a survey that found 85 percent of students report a poor response from teaching staff.
"There is an obligation of safety that is on you," Dr. McGiboney said.
SCHOOL SAFETY HOTLINE
The Georgia Department of Education operates a school safety hot line. Students can call anonymously to report tips by dialing (877) SAY-STOP.
Reach Greg Gelpi at (706) 828-3851 or greg.gelpi@augustachronicle.com.
Comments
Bullying occurs in the adult world also. It may not be physical, but it can manifest itself in so many different ways. It's sad that you are only really able to recognize the subtle ways that people bully others when you get older. I hope the schools are able to help with this matter because, unfortunately, most children won't tell their parents about it because they are too embarassed and think their parents will overreact and make it worse.
There's bullying and there's pecking order, with children they're often confused. All situations are not equal and all people are not equal. The best that can be done is try to provide equal opportunity and let people learn to make their own way. Some are leaders and some are followers. Some learn confidence and some don't. There exist laws to address the most aggressive bullying, but pecking order is going to happen.
Survival of the fittest, eh PT? While I agree that adversity builds strength and character, there are better ways of gaining them than suffering bullying or pecking order, at least in school. I believe that teachers participate in this, even if it's by consent by inaction. The teachers' opinions of the bullied students becomes evident by their failing to stop it.
I suffered it horribly in school, being called Captain Crunch or Crispy Critter because of the 3rd degree burn scars on my back and the skin graft scars on my legs. It left me an adult that needed constant affirmation of myself by others, until, eventually, I learned that none of it mattered, except my perception of myself.
Dr. McGiboney sounds like a bully himself. He tells his audience, "Don't sit there and tell me . . ." That's rude, bullying behavior if I've ever heard it.
Notice how America has turned its "education" system into an "indoctrination" system. Dr. McGiboney is using the techniques that are ingrained into all public school teachers that they are to be believed, obeyed and no questions are allowed. No contrary opinions are to be expressed in my classroom, say today's teachers. "Don't dare tell me your opinion," says Dr. McGiboney!
Opinion is just that, littleLamb, opinion. Facts are what they are....facts, free of opinion. Take the statements in context. Bullying is a MAJOR issue.
They can be attributed as the cause for many teen murders, including the mass murders at high schools. Your right wing is showing badly. This is NOT indoctrination, it is identifying a problem, and the guilty parties usually speak out against those "opinions". How many people did YOU make fun of? How many people were not good enough to be part of your clique? Read my 6:45 post. Did I deserve to be ostracized because I bore the scars of the 3rd split-thickness skin graft in the country?
survival of the fittest? Is that what you understood from my posts GaC? Whew, is English your first language? I'm sorry for your childhood abuse. It shows in your posts. I've found that achievement leads to self confidence and self confidence is the TOTAL defense from any type of bullying.
When an educator tells an adult audience not to offer any opinion that is contrary to his opinion, you have a chilling atmosphere of indoctrination. No real learning can occur in such an atmosphere. But I appreciate your opinion, GACopperhead, and thank you for posting it here.
What about the Prinipals and counslers (there are a few) that are bully the parents and children? I can give examples.
That's exactly what I was talking about above, Bell. In our universities, the professors indoctrinate our future teachers and principals that they are to become authority figures who are to be obeyed and that no dissent is permissable. Therefore, our teachers and principals are taught to become bullies, and they learn their lessons well.
Bullying is alive and well at NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL. These kids want to be treated as adults but then resort to bullying? The afternoon bus routes are out of control with bullying. Time for it to stop!
PT, let me guess... you probably think you are at the top of the "pecking order", I think that it is an issue of accountability with these kids that are bullies.That is what is wrong with our country now, we have a bunch of people that think that the rules dont't apply to them because they are at the top of the pecking order. With recent election of our new president ,hopefully we will see accountability unfold starting at the top of the pecking order just as these idiots (bullies) need to be held accountable for there actions.
I remember PT telling me that one can be bullied only if that person allows it. Many kids and adults have not learned that.This board is full of people who bully. They think it is cute, but what they don't realize is one day they might be responsible for someone trying to end it all. I would not want that on my conscience.
Most bullies when on the receiving end of their bullying prove to be cowards at heart. Notice that they almost always target those they perceive as weaker and no threat. I had always been the smallest in my classes until the ninth grade and received my share of bullying. But I learned to inflict as much damage as possible to the bully and was never bullied by them again. When they roam in packs, you find a weapon that equalizes the odds or get some buddies on your side. Now this worked years ago but with guns so available now, the conseqences are deadly. I applaud the school system to recognize bullying as a very real problem and trying to address it.
As long as the move towaard ending bullying includes collaring the teachers who also bully the children, then great. In an NTE survey, it was found that a high percentage of teachers admitted to bullying their students. Given this, what chance does the child victim have? Obviously, the school officials don't really care one way or another, unless, of course, they can blame it on another child. Children who bully see the teacher doing it, so it's okay, right?
Him saying don't sit there and tell me, with all due respect... in a passionate speech about protecting children sounds like he's a bully????? oh geesh give me a break!!!!!!!
Sounds like a lot of sisseys on here. In words of Pres Obama, "Man Up"
PT, I was going to leap on in with both feet and ask GaC where she got "survival of the fittest" from what you wrote, but it turns out my "help" was not needed :) I wonder how much time GaC has spent with groups of children?
Georgia, why don't you get educated and log on to www.bullypolice.org and read about the kids that have committed suicide due to bullying. If YOU lost a child, YOU might understand. This is a national problem and until people get educated, we are going to have more school shootings, and lose more of our kids. Do you have children of Your own? How would you feel if one of your own children killed themselves because of bullying? Maybe you would feel different.
South Carolina and several other states have an excellent program in place for middle schools utilizing student arbitrators and group discussions to help identify and end bullying. Georgia needs to jump on the bus and put programs like this in place. Adding elementary and high schools to these programs would be an excellent idea. Simply having a hotline in place for kids to call is useless and the kids know it.
The last two paragraphs of Greg's piece speak volumes. (G)nx's 3:43 PM post makes some excellent points, too. But a question I have is: For how long will the self-serving educrats in the GDOE allow Dr. McGilboney to travel about Georgia speaking such important truths about bullying to parents and other taxpayers?
Well Thank You Dr. McGiboney.
If it is a problem, then put the GD cameras in the classrooms, identify the bullies and toss them out. These littel talks to the board and to teachers do nothing but waste money. Anyone who calls themself a teacher and can't identify the bullies in their class, without "professional" help, is a very poor educator. In conclusion if kids even thought they were being watched, there would never be an incident.
Give me a break! Educator's are the scapegoats for poor parenting. Bullying is a learned behavior often starting at home. It sickens me that everyone wants to blame the schools and the people who work in them for the woes of the world. I challenge any of you to come do their job. If you think you can fix it then why not join the TAPP program and get in the schools. Is the pay not high enough? Don't want to deal with the constant put downs of the public eyes? Maybe you just don't like kids. I am sure there is some reason why all the critics of educators are not out there educating the innocents of the world. Bottom line is this - Kids don't become bullies at school they learn it from disinterested parents who let them run wild or from watching mommy and daddy either bully each other or bully others.
barry says .."man Up " that should be enough for all 0f us !!!!After all the "barry" has spoken !!!
"Most bullies when on the receiving end of their bullying prove to be cowards at heart. Notice that they almost always target those they perceive as weaker and no threat." ----- I take it you never read C.S. Lewis's "Screwtape Letters", huh? Bullying can be so horrific that it begs for reform. That it took educators this long to ask to reform bullying, tells us how long they'll also reform how they educate, too. Both are sad statistics of schooling.
"There's bullying and there's pecking order, with children they're often confused. All situations are not equal and all people are not equal." ------ In other words you were (are) a bully, and enjoy sociopathic behavior, right?
We see it in kindergarten, too. But do you notice how McGiboney doesn't offer any solutions? And since bullies have a constitutional right to an education just like anyone else, what are schools supposed to do with them? Most bullies come from very chaotic home lives where violence is normal and they are usually bullied themselves, either by parents or older siblings.
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