Area districts weigh in
By Eva Potter
Let’s face it, bullying in schools is an age-old problem, but how this menace is addressed has changed. In the days of one-room schoolhouses, the teacher could oversee the behavior of the entire class with a quick visual sweep followed by a firm spanking or ruler across the knuckles, but modern day bullying has taken on a more menacing and insidious persona.
Yes, there are still the shoves against a locker in the hallway, threats if another student does not do what the perpetrator wants, mocking, and rumor spreading, which are bad enough on their own merits. But the popularity of texting, Facebook, Twitter, instant messaging and other electronic social media have given rise to a more difficult-to-detect form of intimidation – cyber bullying, a subversive way of intimidating other students that often slips under the radar.
Bullying is a disciplinary challenge in schools across the country, and Cattaraugus County is no exception. Bob Miller, principal at the Ellicottville Middle/High School, said, “I would say that in the middle/high school, we probably average about two situations a month that require administrative intervention. We do have other incidents which can usually be handled by guidance counselors working with the students.”
Judi McCarthy, superintendent at Hinsdale Central School District, expressed a very positive approach in dealing with this issue. She said, “Are there instances of bullying? Sure – in schools and everywhere else. The teachers deal with it and try to diffuse angry scenarios as well as take the opportunity to give ‘life lessons’ in getting along with others. And, of course, the principal deals with bullying as well, but it’s not an overwhelming part of her day. For the most part, the students are well behaved and respectful; maybe that’s an advantage of a small school where everyone knows everyone. I’m always happy to see how nice many of the older students are to the young ones, looking out for them, and acting as peer tutors and assistants in the elementary classrooms.”
All schools interviewed have policies in place and actively work with students to identify and eliminate bullying. Some even use specifically targeted educational programs to teach students about bullying. One popular program used by schools across the country, as well as Allegany-Limestone and Olean city schools, is Rachel’s Challenge, based on the values of Rachel Scott, a student killed during the shooting at Columbine High school in Colorado many years ago. Others schools use leadership conferences, workshops and guidance programming to connect with students. Ellicottville has implemented the 2nd Step Program for elementary and middle school students, and the district is looking at another program called Olweus, geared toward high school students.
“In the two and a half years I have been here, I have not had to hold a Superintendent’s Hearing regarding a bullying incident,” said Colleen Taggerty, superintendent at the Olean City School District. “The classroom teacher, principal and assistant principal, within each building, are the ones who would be the first to intercede with bullying and/or any other discipline issues.” She said the district’s Code of Conduct addresses defamation or derogatory representations, discrimination, harassment, intimidation, hazing and bullying. Olean also has character education programs in place, which reward students for character traits.
Donna Sweet, principal at Archbishop Walsh Academy, said, “In general our bullying issues are low level. We do educational programs in the classroom and on a school-wide basis. The best part is we have leverage through our religion classes and talk with students daily about respect, humanity, dignity and accountability to a higher power.”
Carrie Yohe, principal at Cattaraugus-Little Valley Intermediate School, said the school has a district-wide bullying policy. Also, school counselor, Nichole Illig, has worked with elementary students to teach lessons on empathy, how to recognize bullying and how to react to it. Students were asked to sign pledge cards committing to a “No Bullying Zone.”
“We try to provide yearly programs that focus on bully prevention and building character in students. Last year we implemented the bully boxes throughout the school. This gave students the opportunity to report bullying in a non-threatening manner. This practice continues this year as well,” said Yohe.
Laurie Cuddy, principal K-12 at Hinsdale Central, said character building workshops and programs, an annual leadership conference, counselors working with students to build positive relationships and avoid conflict, as well as rewards and recognitions all complement each other to educate children about bullying.
The Ellicottville School District also addresses bullying in its Code of Conduct, which is part of the student handbook and includes a variety of categories that fall under bullying, including cyberbullying, intimidation, harassment, hazing and others.
Miller said, “I think that one of the biggest problems with bullying occurs via cyberbullying. Students don’t always stop to think about what they are doing. They do not take into account that once they send a message (e-mail, cell phone, Facebook, etc.), that it can now be copied, forwarded, printed, etc., and even though they delete it from their phone/computer, it still exists in ‘cyber space.’ They also do not realize that a school can take disciplinary actions regardless of when the cyberbullying takes place, if the cyberbullying substantially disrupts or interferes with the educational process at school.”
Taggerty pointed out that schools are also limited in their “policing” power. “Cyber bullying is addressed by the school, when the bullying is such that there is a nexus between the situation and the school. If there is no nexus, we have no authority to address it,” she said. “We do, however, work with students and their families in every way possible.”
Cyberbullying is such a hidden and sneaky problem, said Miller. “This is probably the most frustrating form of bullying to deal with. Unless a student comes forward and notifies a staff member, the school does not know that it is taking place,” he said.
“These investigations can also become complicated, due to several factors, some of which are: the cyberbullying may be taking place at times other than the school day; it is difficult to determine when an administrator may be able to look at the messages on a student’s cell phone; some students erase their messages quickly so there is little proof that cyberbullying may or may not have taken place; etc. Cyberbullying, as I learned at a recent law conference, may also be taking place right underneath a parent’s supervision; for example, a student could be receiving (or sending) a bullying-type text on a cell phone while sitting in the living room watching TV with their family. This form of bullying is very different from what many people see as ‘traditional’ bullying, which usually includes some face-to-face interactions.”
If your child tells you he or she is being bullied in school, you can take some simple steps. Begin by contacting the adult closest to the problem to let them know there may be a problem and ask for that person’s help so you can work together to investigate and solve the problem. Oftentimes, this will be a classroom teacher or coach. Oftentimes an assistant principal or principal may need to be involved. If all measures have failed, then the superintendent would become involved, but issues are usually resolved well before this happens.
“The prevention of bullying begins in the home and community. We all need to take proactive steps to reduce such behaviors and attitudes. Most importantly, the families, community and school need to work together in a supportive manner,” Taggerty observed. “We need to be sending the same message to our youth: Bullying will not be tolerated.”
