Section 13

The Role of Educators

Educators have an important role in addressing acts of bullying they observe or that are reported to them.^17,25

By being vigilant in addressing instances of peer aggression, educators can effectively reduce the likelihood of bullying in their schools.

Understand the difference between bullying and conflict.
Conflict involves antagonism among two or more people. Any two people can have a conflict. Bullying only occurs when there is a power imbalance.

Understand that there are different ways to bully.
Bullying behaviors take several forms, including: direct bullying, cyberbullying and relational aggression.

Understand that there are possible legal concerns for your school when bullying issues are not addressed.
This includes:

State laws related to bullying/bullying prevention
State and federal civil rights laws
Civil suits brought against schools/school systems

Intervene every time you see bullying or it is reported to you.
It is important that you address all instances of peer aggression and take all reports of bullying seriously. Follow your school’s protocol for investigation and response.

Section 13

Communicate with administrators.
Whenever you take action in bullying situations, be sure to document your actions and follow the school policies regarding reporting to other staff and parents. Effective management of bullying requires open communication to prevent reoccurrence. Administrators should ensure there is ongoing communication among supervising staff when bullying is reported, suspected or confirmed.

Follow up with students who have experienced bullying.
These follow-up conversations allow you to determine whether the behavior has stopped or if it is recurring. Provide support to students through increased supervision, proactive intervention, and advocacy, if needed.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls of Bullying Prevention

Do not assume there is a “profile” of the student who most likely will bully, be a target or be a bystander.
Do not handle bullying incidents by having the two involved students “sit down and talk it out.”
Do not believe that bullying occurs only when adults are not present.
Do not think that bullying prevention is someone else’s job.
Do not disregard your school’s bullying policies and procedures because they are a hassle or you are unclear about what to do.