As an educator, rarely does a day go by that does not include learning of a situation where a scholar has been bullied.  Often it occurs off-campus.  It also typically involves more than two students.  In most scenarios, there is the bully, the victim and the bystander.

Last week, I addressed the portrait of the bully.  What about the victims?  Victims of bullying should report it to an adult immediately.  At school, talk to a teacher, counselor or school administrator. 

Although it will be tempting, the child should not engage with the bully.  Too often the students have gone back and forth to the extent that it is difficult to clearly identify the victim.  Prevent this by reporting it rather than taking matters into your own hands.

What about the bystander?  When you witness bullying there are a few key tips for reacting safely.  First and foremost, talk to a parent, teacher, or another adult you trust. Adults need to know when bad things happen, so they can help.

Be kind to the child who is being bullied. Show them that you are there to support by trying to include them. Sit with them at lunch or in class, talk to them at school, or invite them to do something.  Be a friend.  Just hanging out with them will help them know they aren’t alone.

Not saying anything could make it worse for everyone. The child who is bullying will think it is ok to keep treating others that way and the victim will continue to feel isolated.

Selma City Schools is committed to ensuring that our schools are safe.  This includes developing a Bullying Prevention Taskforce.  The taskforce will help us update our current policies related to harassing behaviors.  This will include adding cyberbullying and language that addresses behavior that happens both on and off campus.

Additionally, we are investigating more effective ways for our scholars to report bullying.  There is an app for that! We will explore this and other innovative ways for students to report bullying.

Finally, we will ensure that our teachers and leaders have the professional learning to support our efforts.  Social-emotional learning is an area of focus for Team Selma.  Ensuring that our team members are supported and equipped to operate safe, orderly schools where our scholars thrive is a must.

Bullying prevention is important and as always, I want to involve the community.  What ideas do you have?  Have you seen or heard about bullying prevention efforts in other communities that have been successful?  We are stronger together.  Let’s ensure that there are no more bullies in our schools.

For more information, email me at avis.williams@selmacityschools.org.