KPRDSB Superintendent Joseph Tompkins Bullying

Posted by Marie Visser 
on Jan 23, 2016
 
 
Special thanks to Superintendent Joe Tompkins for educating us on Bullying.  His talk was both interactive and educational.  Bullying is a societal problem that affects students of all ages. It is important to note that Teasing and Bullying differ drastically.  Bullying is unwanted, reoccurring and there is an imbalance of power, whereas teasing is playful and in the moment.  Bullying is a major health issue and the side-effects are immediate and long-lasting, it can be sophisticated and not always obvious. In the most tragic of cases, bullying has had fatal consequences. Children and adolescents who are involved in bullying (either as an aggressor, as a victim, or both) put themselves at risk for a number of emotional and behavioural problems, now and in the future, and require support to learn how to develop healthy relationships.
 
Dangers for Children and Adolescents Who Are Bullied-
 
Depression (low mood, a sense of hopelessness)
Social anxiety, loneliness, isolation
Stress related health problems (eg. headaches, stomach aches)
Low self esteem
School absenteeism and academic problems
Aggressive behaviours
Contemplating, attempting or committing suicide
 
Dangers for Children and Adolescents Who Bully Others-
 
Not knowing the difference between right and wrong
Delinquency and substance use
Academic problems and increased school drop out rate
Aggression
Sexual harassment and dating aggression
Gang involvement and criminal adulthood
Difficulties in their relationships with others
Being bullied at the hands of others

Types of Bullying-Bullying evolves throughout childhood

Physical Bullying-Includes hitting, kicking, shoving, spitting, beating up, stealing or damaging property.  While physical bullying causes harm to a child’s body or property, the below forms of bullying cause psychological harm. Such offensive, degrading and rejecting behaviours undermine and destabilize victimized children’s sense of themselves, of their place in the school, and of their place in the world.

Verbal Bullying-Includes name-calling, mocking, hurtful teasing, insults, slurs, humiliating or threatening someone, racist comments, or sexual harassment.

​Social Bullying-Includes rolling your eyes or turning away from someone, excluding others from the group, getting others to ignore or exclude, gossiping or spreading rumours, setting others up to look foolish, and damaging reputations and friendships.

Electronic or Cyberbullying-Includes the use of email, cell phones, text messages, and internet sites to threaten, harass, embarrass, socially exclude, or damage reputations and friendships.

Racial Bullying-Includes treating people badly because of their racial or ethnic background, saying bad things about a cultural background, calling someone racist names or telling racist jokes.

​Religious Bullying-Includes treating people badly because of their religious background or beliefs, making negative comments about a religious background or belief, calling someone names or telling jokes based on his of her religious beliefs in an effort to hurt them.

​Sexual Bullying-Includes leaving someone out; treating them badly, or making them feel uncomfortable because of their sex; making sexist comments or jokes; touching, pinching or grabbing someone in a sexual way; making crude comments about someone’s sexual behaviour or orientation; or spreading a sexual rumour.

Disability Bullying-Includes leaving someone out or treating them badly because of a disability, making someone feel uncomfortable, or making jokes to hurt someone because of a disability.

For more  information on Bullying and Bullying Prevention visit:

http://www.kprdsb.ca/content/dam/kpr/documents/cyber_bullying_brochure_11-1027_final.pdf 

or http://www.kprdsb.ca/content/dam/kpr/documents/ParentsGuidetoBullying.pdf 

to report bullying complete and submit this form http://kprforms.kprdsb.ca/Report_Bullying/report.asp  

For Canada's authority on research and resources for bullying prevention visit  at http://www.prevnet.ca