The Impact of Bullying

Though a school may have thousands of incidents of hitting and pushing during the school year, it is rare for students to send one another to the hospital because they know they will get in serious trouble and they will feel terrible.

Approximately 8% of students are victims of relentless teasing and bullying. It happens regardless of race, gender, religion, social class, physical appearance, or intelligence levels.

Being a victim of constant ridicule and rejection by peers is one of the worst things that can happen to a child. Kids who are relentlessly victimized:

• Have their self-confidence and self esteem destroyed.
• Think there is something terribly wrong with them.
• Find it hard to concentrate in class.
• Have their popularity destroyed, as other kids are too embarrassed to be their friends.
  

Furthermore, being a victim of constant ridicule is also a major contributing factor in the following:

• school phobia and truancy,
  
• anxiety and depression,
  
• self-injury and suicide,
  
• development of social and emotional problems in adulthood, and
  
• physical violence in school.

From Professional Learning Board’s online continuing education course for teachers: Bullying – The Golden Rule Solution