Friday, February 25, 2011

From Teasing to Torment: School Climate in America - A National Report on School Bullying

Quotes 

1)"This study clearly illustrates the prevalence of bullying and harassment in America’s schools and that students who experience harassment are more likely to miss classes which can impact a student’s ability to learn." 
Bullying is a huge issue that takes place in America's schools and each year it seems to be getting worse and worse.  The LGBT students who are harassed every single day don't feel comfortable going to school  because they know each day they'll hear at least one remark about their gender expression.  Hearing those remarks makes them feel empty inside, makes them feel like don't belong, and all they want is just to just be accepted for who they are.  The school systems are the worst place for this type of harassment because it can then lead to the child missing a significant amount of school due to the fact that they don't feel like they belong and they have nowhere to escape to.  If teachers had more control over this issue then the student's wouldn't have such a hard time of coming to school because then they know that they have someone to report these incidents to and they have someone to escape to.



2)"The survey reveals that having a harassment policy in place that specifically mentions sexual orientation or gender identity/expression is associated with more students feeling safe (95% vs. 83%) and reporting less harassment or fewer negative remarks at their school."
All schools have a harassment policy in effect but in order to reduce the sexual orientation or gender identity harassment some schools have found it very helpful to have a harassment policy that specifically mentions sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.  If students are aware that there is some type of punishment for this type of harassment then this would result in less bullying and LGBT students would feel much safer and comfortable in school.  A simple policy like this could make a huge difference in every school because it shows all the LGBT students that the school system cares about them and they actually feel accepted in their own school and they don't have that feeling of fear coming to school every day.   


3)“It is important that teachers be made more aware of problems that students are having in school and be willing to identify themselves as resources for students who experience bullying and harassment.”
This is another key factor that helps reduce bullying in America's school systems.  Teachers have to be aware what goes on in and outside of their classrooms.  If there is only one person in a classroom that a LGBT student could rely on it should always be the teacher.  The teacher has the most power in the classroom and if a LGBT student is being harassed they should be able to report to the teacher and from there the teacher can either talk to the other student who is harassing the LGBT student and tell them to stop or if it continues then the teacher has the power to talk to the principal who can then call in the bully's parents to have a meeting.  When teachers take control over situations like these they are preventing a serious situation from becoming even more serious.  If the LGBT student can't rely on the teacher for help and nobody else in the school system is taking control over the situation then the victim could start having suicidal thoughts.  In my high school we had several different after school programs and one program that relates to this article was the GSA Club, Gay Straight Alliance Club.  Programs like these make a huge difference for LGBT students and I think teachers who created clubs like these can help solve any other issues going on in the school systems.


Questions:
Why can't everyone just accept people for who they are?  Should there be a requirement that all schools should have a policy that specifically mentions sexual orientation and gender identity since it helps reduce the harassment?  


Larry King Video on Gay Bullying:

5 comments:

  1. I completely agree with you Sarah. I really don't understand why people need to make such a big deal about it if someone is different. I really don't think that schools should even have a policy about sexual orientation. That has nothing to do with how people are being educated in school and it isn't a major distraction so it shouldn't even be touched upon. I understand why they make school policies about the dress codes because that can be distracting if anyone is wearing inappropriate clothing. It's hard not to look, but you can't tell is someone is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender by looking at them. And I don't see how it can be a distraction to learning.

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  2. I also just want to add that it's sad that students make fun of and torment other students for being LGBT so much that schools actually needed to put a policy in place in the first place.

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  4. Wow. I couldnt have said it better. I completely agree with what both of you say...especially when you mentioned how there is a school policy about not discriminating based on sexual orientation. While I understand why that is in place, I agree with you both when you mention that there shouldnt even have to be one. Just the fact that its a big enough issue that it is now in school policies just goes to show how out of control it is.

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  5. i agree with Amanda and Mariah's comments that it is sad that schools have to have GSAs and policies to help students feel comfortable at school.

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