It’s back to school time. That means a new class, new teacher, new responsibilities, and new challenges. One of those challenges might be bullying. Bullying is a serious problem in schools across the country. About half of all students have reported they have seen bullying or been bullied.
Bullying is unkind, unfriendly behavior. It is repeated over time. It can be something physical like pushing or hitting. It can also be verbal, like teasing, saying mean things, or threatening a person. Sometimes it can be social like leaving a person out of activities or spreading stories about them. Bullying can make the person that is being bullied feel powerless.
Nobody is really powerless. There are things you can do if bullied. You can ask the bully to stop, in a clear, firm voice. If making jokes comes easily, you can surprise the bully by laughing them off. If speaking up seems too hard or unsafe, walk away and stay away. Find an adult you trust and talk to them about your problem.
What You Can Do If you see that someone else is being bullied, talk to them about it. Show them kindness. Talk to an adult you trust about the problem.
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