What is Bullying?

Bullying can consist of any action by one child or group that is used to hurt another child repeatedly and without cause. 

Bullying may be expressed in many forms. Boys tend to use physical aggression when they bully by hitting, kicking, and fighting. Girls often start rumors, form clique groups to keep certain people out, and ignore other children in attempts to show dominance.

Each of the District 2 schools has launched an anti-bullying campaign and continue to increase messages to students. Students in partnership with parents should confront instances of bullying when they happen. 

The following information is for parents who want to better understand bullying and how to help their child if they are involved.

Types of Bullying

• Verbal Bullying: Verbal bullying includes: teasing, name calling, inappropriate sexual comments, taunting, and threatening to cause harm. Often kids might focus on weight, height, race, sexuality, religion or other personal traits when bullying another child verbally.
  
  
• Social Bullying: Involves hurting someone’s reputation or relationships. Social bullying could be: leaving someone out on purpose, telling other children not to be friends with someone, spreading rumors, or embarrassing someone in public.
  
  
• Physical Bullying: Physical bullying includes: hitting, kicking, spitting, pushing, making mean or rude hand gestures. 
  
  
• Cyber Bullying: Can include making threats, sending emails or texts with provocative insults or racial slurs, attempting to infect the victim’s computer with a virus, and flooding an e-mail inbox with messages.