A Look at Bullying

What is bullying?

Drawing: Sujeong

School bullying is a serious problem worldwide.  It's not a new problem. Our parents and grandparents can recall bullying incidents from their school years.  Yet, bullying continues to be a problem.

Find out more about bullying behavior at this PBS site:

Bullies: What is Bullying?

Send your ideas.

• What are some kinds of bullying behavior?
• How do you think bullying makes victims feel?
• What long term effects might bullying have on them?
• Have you ever been bullied?

Why do some people bully?

Drawing: Sung Hwi Chung

A bully can think of all kinds of ways to make another person feel hurt, afraid, uncomfortable, or just plain miserable.  It can be physical, verbal, or emotional.  Often bullies torment a victim over a long period of time, increasing the victim's sense of fear and distress.

Go to CBBC Newsround to explore your own ideas about bullying. You can take a quiz, analyze bullying dilemmas, and more.

Send your comments:

• Have you ever witnessed a bullying incident? What happened?
• What do you think makes bullies behave so aggressively?
• Why do you think they become bullies?

Bullying moves online

Drawing: Seo, InJi

A new term, cyberbullying, refers to a new trend in school bullying. School bullies post hurtful things and photos on Websites, in e-mails, and in cell phone text messages to torment their classmates.

 
Watch a video about cyberbullying made by a young teen:

 

An online article in USA Today discusses this troublesome trend:

Schoolyard bullies get nastier online


Photo taken of the USA Today print issue

Read what students who have suffered from cyberbullying have to say in this online ABC News article, School Bullies Take Teasing Online.

Send your opinion.

• What do you think about this high-tech way of bullying?
• Is this worse than physical or verbal bullying in school?
  Why or why not?

Film documents teen bullying

Sadly, some students are so traumatized by being bullied that they become very depressed.

Miserable and unable to communicate their dilemma to anyone, they feel their situation is hopeless and sometimes commit suicide.

 

 

 

 

 

Drawing: Mi Hye Ahn


Dawn-Marie's story:

Dawn-Marie, a 14-year old girl in Canada was relentlessly bullied by three teenage girls who were her classmates. 

She committed suicide and left a suicide note in which she said she was taking her life because of the bulllying and named the three girls.  Later, the girls were tried for bullying.

A documentary film was made to document this bullying incident. The film tells Dawn-Marie's story and explores in depth the consequences of bullying and the link between school bullying and victim suicide.

 

Quote from film cover:
"No one heard her cry for help."

 

Read a plot summary of the film: Rats & Bullies.

Send your thoughts.

• Do you think it is a good idea to document a real-life bullying tragedy in a movie? Why or why not?
• What should be done to prevent bullying incidents in schools?
• What are your thoughts about the link between bullying and suicide?

Teen bully convicted

Drawing: Sun Ah

Read this CBS news report to learn about the trial of the three teenage girls who continuously harassed and threatened Dawn-Marie who never asked for adult help while being bullied.

 

B.C. girl convicted in school bullying tragedy

 

Update:  Watch this video to learn more about the consequences of this tragic bullying event and how people felt about the court case.

Send your comments.

• How do you feel about the conviction of one of the girls who bullied Dawn-Marie?
• Do you think teenage bullies should be tried in a courtroom? Why, or why not?
  
• What can schools do to encourage students to speak to an adult when they are being bullied?