Let’s Talk Health: Bullies backing off, study shows

When I was in the seventh grade, I saw a girl hide another student’s PE uniform. She stuck it in an empty locker. I didn’t think much about it at the time. It seemed like an innocent, silly joke.

Later on, when it came time for PE class, I saw the girl whose uniform was missing in tears. She couldn’t find her gym clothes, and for those of us who don’t remember gym class rules, teachers ask you to either wear a “loaner” uniform or walk laps for the remainder of the period as a form of punishment.

This is the memory that comes to mind when I think about my first encounters with bullying. It continues to be a problem today, so much so that there are now monthlong campaigns during the month of October dedicated to raising awareness on bullying prevention.

The heightened efforts to increase education on the issue may be working.

Earlier this year, I read an article on Time.com about a study that showed bullying is taking a downward trend.

According to 2013 data compiled by the National Center for Education Statistics, about 22 percent of students ages 12 to 18 reported being bullied at school. This includes being called names, made fun of, threatened and made subject of rumors, among others. This is a drop from 2011, when 28 percent of students nationwide reported having been victims of bullying.

In Merced County, about 34 percent of ninth-grade students reported being bullied at school in the 2011-12 school year, according to numbers available at Kidsdata.org, a nonprofit foundation that collects health data for children. In the same year, 29 percent of 11th graders reported being victims of bullying, showing that bullying declines or is reported less frequently as children grow older.

This is good news, especially as bullying has been linked to depression and anxiety in children and teenagers. It is also recognized by health officials as a public health concern.

For Michael Hollis, a senior at Le Grand High, and Adelina Skywalker, a junior at the same school, the declining trend makes sense. A lot of it has to do with simply maturing, they said, but they also credit some success to the increase in awareness and prevention education available at schools.

Skywalker shared a personal story. In elementary school, she said, she was made fun of because of the way she dressed.

She recalls being shoved once and getting hurt, but decided to stay mum.

“At the time, I didn’t really realize I was being bullied,” she said. “And I didn’t want to get the other person in trouble.”

Hollis agreed. “There’s this stigma about getting others in trouble, especially when you’re younger,” he said. “You don’t want to be that person.”

In their experience, bullying in high school has become less of a concern.

“Here at Le Grand we have this saying: ‘Don’t be a bully, be a Bulldog,’ and I think it sticks,” Skywalker said.

The students also think the “stop bullying” campaigns advertised on TV commercials, billboards and online have made a positive contribution, especially during the month of October, dubbed National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month.

But education efforts are necessary year-round, said Andre Griggs, coordinator of the Restorative Justice League, an alternative discipline program, at Le Grand. Students who are part of the program participate in peer circles, a method in which students share and discuss issues from school or home with their classmates.

Bullying, especially cyberbullying, is an issue that is often discussed, he said. On many occasions the bully and victim are placed in the same room and have the opportunity to talk it out.

“They’re (on) neutral ground,” Griggs said. “They open up and we look for solutions.”

Today, cyberbullying is probably the more common form of harassment. Most school-age children have social media accounts, mostly used for innocent fun, but if not handled properly, it becomes an easy avenue for teasing.

Griggs invites parents to take an active role in familiarizing themselves with social media and keeping an eye on their children’s accounts. “We have parents come in here with questions, and we check out the problem,” Griggs said. “That’s how things get caught.”

This story was originally published October 16, 2015 at 6:35 PM with the headline "Let’s Talk Health: Bullies backing off, study shows."