School bullying is a type of bullying that occurs in an educational setting.

Bullying without comprehensive definition, can be physical, verbal or emotional in nature, or it can
occur online (cyberbullying). For an act to be considered bullying it must meet certain criteria. This
includes hostile intent, imbalance of power, repetition, distress, and provocation. Bullying can have a
wide spectrum of effects on a student including anger, depression, stress and suicide. Additionally, the
bully can develop different social disorders or have a higher chance of engaging in criminal activity.

If there is suspicion that a child is being bullied or is a bully, there are warning signs in their behavior.
There are many programs and organizations worldwide which provide bullying prevention services or
information on how children can cope if they have been bullied.

Definition

There is no universal definition of school bullying; however, it is widely agreed that bullying is a
subcategory of aggressive behavior characterized by the following three minimum criteria:[2]

hostile intent (i.e., the harm caused by bullying is deliberate, not accidental),[3]

imbalance of power (i.e., bullying includes a real or perceived power inequity between the bully and the
victim),[3] and

repetition over a period of time (i.e., more than once with the potential to occur multiple times).[3]

The following two additional criteria have been proposed to complement the above-mentioned criteria:

victim distress (victim suffers mild to severe psychological, social or physical trauma)[3] and

provocation (bullying is motivated by perceived benefits of their aggressive behaviors).[3]

Some of these characteristics have been disputed (e.g., for power imbalance: bullies and victims often
report that conflicts occur between two equals); nevertheless, they remain widely established in the
scientific literature.[2]

Underlying causes

The underlying causes of school violence and bullying include gender and social norms and wider
contextual and structural factors.[4]

Discriminatory gender norms that shape the dominance of men and the subservience of women and the
perpetuation of these norms through violence are found in some form in many cultures. Gender
inequality and the prevalence of violence against women in society exacerbate the problem. Similarly,
social norms that support the authority of teachers over children may legitimise the use of violence to
maintain discipline and control.[4]

The pressure to conform to dominant gender norms is also high.[5] Young people who cannot or who
choose not to conform to these norms are often punished for this through violence and bullying at
school.[4]

Schools themselves can "teach" children to be violent through discriminatory practices, curricula and
textbooks. If unchecked, gender discrimination and power imbalances in schools can encourage
attitudes and practices that subjugate children, uphold unequal gender norms and tolerate violence,
including corporal punishment.[4]

Some attribute part of the cause of bullying to the atmosphere in which it occurs. Thornberg and
Knutsen state in their study, "School attributing refers to attributing the cause of bullying to the school
setting." They say that school attributing has two subcategories which are "boredom in school" and
“poor antibullying practices". Boredom in school involves a student who does not have anything else to
do other than bully. Poor antibullying practices may include teachers and staff not caring enough to
intervene, or a school not having enough teachers for students. This may lead to the students feeling
unwanted or unimportant due to the lack of care from the school's staff.[6]

Schools and the education system also operate within the context of wider social and structural factors
and may reflect and reproduce environments that do not protect children and adolescents from
violence and bullying. For example, physical and sexual violence may be more prevalent in schools in
contexts where it is also more prevalent in wider society. Studies suggest that sexual violence and
harassment of girls is worse in schools where other forms of violence are prevalent, and in conflict and
emergency contexts,[7] and that gang violence is more common in schools where gangs, weapons and
drugs are part of the local culture.[4]

In their paper "Predicting Bullying: Exploring the Contributions of Childhood Negative Life Experiences in
Predicting Adolescent Bullying Behavior," Connell, Morris and Piquero identify three primary aspects of
a child’s life- family, school and peers- as major indicators to whether or not that child exhibits behavior
akin to bullying.[8]

Effects

A victim, in the short term, may feel depressed, anxious, angry, have excessive stress, learned
helplessness, feel as though their life has fallen apart, have a significant drop in school performance, or
may commit suicide (bullycide). In the long term, they may feel insecure, lack trust, exhibit extreme
sensitivity (hypervigilant), or develop a mental illness such as psychopathy, avoidant personality disorder
or PTSD. They may also desire vengeance, sometimes leading them to torment others in return.[9]

Anxiety, depression and psychosomatic symptoms are common among both bullies and their victims.
Among these participants alcohol and substance abuse are commonly seen later in life.[10] It is known
that people suffering from depression feel much better when they talk to others about it, but victims of
bullying fear may not talk to others about their feelings in fear of being bullied, which can worsen their
depression.[11]

In the short term, being a bystander "can produce feelings of anger, fear, guilt, and sadness....
Bystanders who witness repeated victimizations of peers can experience negative effects similar to the
victimized children themselves."[12]

While most bullies, in the long term, grow up to be emotionally functional adults, many have an
increased risk of developing antisocial personality disorder, which is linked to an increased risk of
committing criminal acts (including domestic violence).[13]

Negative impact on educational quality and outcomes

The educational effects on victims of school violence and bullying are significant. Violence and bullying
at the hands of teachers or other students may make children and adolescents afraid to go to school and
interfere with their ability to concentrate in class or participate in school activities. It can also have
similar effects on bystanders.[4]

The consequences include missing classes, avoiding school activities, playing truant or dropping out of
school altogether. This in turn has an adverse impact on academic achievement and attainment and on
future education and employment prospects. Children and adolescents who are victims of violence may
achieve lower grades and may be less likely to anticipate going on to higher education. Analyses of
international learning assessments highlight the impact of bullying on learning outcomes. These
analyses clearly show that bullying reduces students’ achievement in key subjects, such as mathematics,
and other studies have documented the negative impact of school violence and bullying on educational
performance.[14][4]

Bystanders and the school climate as a whole are also affected by school violence and bullying. Unsafe
learning environments create a climate of fear and insecurity and a perception that teachers do not
have control or do not care about the students, and this reduces the quality of education for all.[4]
Social and economic costs

The 2006 UN World Report on Violence against Children shows that victims of corporal punishment,
both at school and at home, may develop into adults who are passive and over-cautious or aggressive.
Involvement in school bullying can be a predictor of future antisocial and criminal behaviour. Being
bullied is also linked to a heightened risk of eating disorders and social and relationship
difficulties.[15][4]

Other studies have shown the longer-term effects of bullying at school. One study of all children born in
England, Scotland and Wales during one week in 1958 analyzes data on 7,771 children who had been
bullied at ages 7 and 11. At age 50, those who had been bullied as children were less likely to have
obtained school qualifications and less likely to live with a spouse or partner or to have adequate social
support. They also had lower scores on word memory tests designed to measure cognitive IQ even when
their childhood intelligence levels were taken into account and, more often reported, that they had poor
health. The effects of bullying were visible nearly four decades later, with health, social and economic
consequences lasting well into adulthood. For children, “peers are a much more important influence
than has been realised. It is a terrible thing to be excluded by your peers”.[16][4]

The economic impact of violence against children and adolescents is substantial.[17] Youth violence in
Brazil alone is estimated to cost nearly US$19 billion every year, of which US$943 million can be linked
to violence in schools. The estimated cost to the economy in the USA of violence associated with schools
is US$7.9 billion a year.[18][4]

Analytic work supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) shows that
school-related gender-based violence alone can be associated with the loss of one primary grade of
schooling, which translates to an annual cost of around US$17 billion to low- and middle-income
countries.[19][4]

In the East Asia and Pacific region, it is estimated that the economic costs of just some of the health
consequences of child maltreatment were equivalent to between 1.4% and 2.5% of the region’s annual
GDP.[4]

In Argentina, the forgone benefit to society from overall early school dropout is 11.4% of GDP, and in
Egypt, nearly 7% of potential earnings is lost as a result of the number of children dropping out of
school.[4]

A study has shown that each year Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria lose US$974
million, US$301 million and US$1,662 million respectively for failing to educate girls to the same
standard as boys, and violence in school is one of the key factors contributing to the under-
representation of girls in education.[20][4]

Statistics

According to the American Psychological Association, "40% to 80% of school-age children experience
bullying at some point during their school careers."[21] Various studies show that students from lower
socioeconomic backgrounds experience bullying more often than other students.[22] The following
statistics help illustrate the severity of bullying within classrooms:[21]

Victims

Statistics show that 1 in 3 children are affected by bullying in their lifetime in the U.S. school system, and
30% report being involved in some manner.[23]

A nationwide survey of bullying in first and second level schools conducted by Trinity College Dublin
estimates that some 31% of primary and 16% of secondary students have been bullied at some time.[24]

In a 1997 study of five Seattle high schools, students recorded their peers' hallway and classroom
conversations. It was discovered that the average high school student hears about 25 anti-gay remarks a
day.[25]

In a study conducted across 32 Dutch elementary schools, 16.2% of the 2,766 participating children
reported being bullied regularly (at least several times a month).[26]

At least 1 in 3 adolescent students in Canada has reported being bullied.[27]

47% of Canadian parents report having a child who is a victim of bullying.[27]

Students who are homosexual, bisexual, or transgender are five times as likely to miss school because
they feel unsafe after being bullied due to their sexual orientation.[28]

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of gay, lesbian, and
bisexual students who did not go to school at least one day during the 30 days preceding the survey due
to safety concerns ranged from 11% to 30% for gay and lesbian students and 12% to 25% for bisexual
students.[29]

61.1% of LGBT middle- or high-school students were more likely than their non-LGBT peers to feel
unsafe or uncomfortable as a result of their sexual orientation.[29]

In a Canadian study that surveyed 2,186 students across 33 middle and high schools, 49.5% reported
being bullied online in the previous three months. 33.7% of the sample reported being the perpetrator
of cyberbullying.[30]

The most common form of cyberbullying involved receiving threatening or aggressive emails or instant
messages, reported by 73% of victims.[27]
In the United States, a 2013 nationwide survey indicated that 20% of high school students were bullied
on school property in the past year, 15% of the students were bullied electronically, and 8% of students
ages 12–18 reported ongoing bullying on a weekly basis.[31]

Higher education students keep silent about the torment because they are expected to handle the issue
as an adult, however it requires a support system.

According to the journal Evolutionary Psychological Science, victims of bullying are more likely to be
sexually inactive compared to bullies.[32]

Statistics referencing the prevalence of bullying in schools may be inaccurate and tend to fluctuate. In a
U.S. study of 5,621 students ages 12–18, 64% of the students had experienced bullying and did not
report it.[33]

Bullies

Proactive aggression is a behavior that expects a reward. With bullying each individual has a role to
defend.[clarification needed] Some children act proactively but will show aggression to defend
themselves if provoked. These children will react aggressively but tend to never be the ones to attack
first.

There have been two subtypes created in bully classification; popular aggressive and unpopular
aggressive. Popular aggressive bullies are social and do not encounter a great deal of social stigma from
their aggression. Unpopular aggressive bullies, however, are most often rejected by other students and
use aggression to seek attention.[23]

In a recent national survey 3,708,284 students reported being a perpetrator of bullying in the U.S. school
system.[23]

Studies have shown bullies actually report more success in making friends than other children.

Bullying behavior in perpatrators is shown to decrease with age.[34]

Developmental research suggests bullies are often morally disengaged and use egocentric reasoning
strategies.[35]

Adolescents who experience violence or aggression in the home, or are influenced by negative peer
relationships, are more likely to bully. This suggests that positive social relationships reduce the
likelihood of bullying.[36]

The diagnosis of a mental health disorder is strongly associated with being a bully. This trend is most
evident in adolescents diagnosed with depression, anxiety, or ADHD.[37]

Poor theory of mind is associated with bullying.[38]

25% of students encourage bullying if not given proper education and information about the
consequences of bullying.[39]

A study by Lisa Garby shows that 60% of bullies in middle school will have at least one criminal
conviction by the age of 24.[40]

In a survey by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
(NICHD), students were asked to complete a questionnaire.

A total of 10.6% of the children replied that they had sometimes bullied other children, a response
category defined as moderate bullying. An additional 8.8% said they had bullied others once a week or
more, defined as frequent bullying. Similarly, 8.5% said they had been targets of moderate bullying, and
8.4% said they were bullied frequently. Out of all the students, 13% said they had engaged in moderate
or frequent bullying of others, while 10.6% said they had been bullied either moderately or frequently.
Some students — 6.3% — had both bullied others and been bullied themselves. In all, 29% of the
students who responded to the survey had been involved in some aspect of bullying, either as a bully, as
the target of bullying or both.[41]

According to Tara Kuther, an associate professor of psychology at Western Connecticut State University,
"...bullying gets so much more sophisticated and subtle in high school. It's more relational. It becomes
more difficult for teens to know when to intervene; whereas with younger kids, bullying is more physical
and, therefore, more clear-cut."[39]

Types of bullying

There are four basic types of bullying: verbal, physical, psychological, and cyber. Cyberbullying is
becoming one of the most common types. While victims can experience bullying at any age, it is
witnessed most often in school-aged children.

Direct bullying is a relatively open attack on a victim that is physical and/or verbal in nature.[12] Indirect
bullying is more subtle and harder to detect, but involves one or more forms of relational aggression,
including social isolation via intentional exclusion, spreading rumors to defame one's character or
reputation, making faces or obscene gestures behind someone's back, and manipulating friendships or
other relationships.[12]

Pack bullying is bullying undertaken by a group. The 2009 Wesley Report on bullying found that pack
bullying was more prominent in high schools and lasted longer than bullying undertaken by
individuals.[42]
Physical

See also: Physical abuse

A female bully, portrayed in the 1917 silent film Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm

Physical bullying is any unwanted physical contact between the bully and the victim. This is one of the
most easily identifiable forms of bullying. Examples include:[43][44]

fighting

hazing

headlocks

inappropriate touching

kicking

pinching

pranking

pulling hair

punching

pushing

shoving

teasing

threatening

tickling

using nearby objects as weapons

Emotional

See also: Psychological abuse

Emotional bullying is any form of bullying that causes damage to a victim’s psyche and/or emotional
well-being. Examples include:[43][44]

Spreading malicious rumors about people

Getting certain people to "gang up" on others (this could also be considered physical bullying)
Ignoring people on purpose (via the silent treatment or pretending the victim is non-existent)

Provoking others

Belittling, making fun of people, or saying hurtful things (which are also forms of verbal bullying)[45]

Verbal

See also: Verbal abuse

Verbal bullying is any slanderous statements or accusations that cause the victim undue emotional
distress. Examples include:[44]

Directing foul language (profanity) at the target

Using derogatory terms or deriding the person's name

Commenting negatively on someone's looks, clothes, body, etc. (personal abuse)

Tormenting

Harassing

Mocking and belittling[45]

Threatening to cause harm[46]

Taunting[46]

Teasing[46]

Inappropriate sexual comments[46]

Cyberbullying

Main article: Cyberbullying

According to the website Stop Cyberbullying, "Cyberbullying is when anyone is tormented, threatened,
harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the
Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones."[47] This form of bullying can easily go
undetected because of the lack of parental or authoritative supervision. Because bullies can pose as
someone else, it is the most anonymous form of bullying. Cyberbullying includes abuse using email,
blogs, instant messaging, text messaging, or websites. Many who are bullied in school are likely to be
bullied over the Internet and vice versa.[44] Since students have become more reliant on internet, the
advancement in social media and technology has altered the fear of in-person bullying away from
schoolyards but has rather increase cyberbullying.[48] Studies have shown almost half of cyberbullies
are repeat offenders and harass others as few at three times.[49] Males are more likely to be active
cyberbullies than females. Cyberbullying can happen 24 hours a day and seven days a week and reach a
child even when they are alone. Deleting inappropriate or harassing messages, texts or pictures is
extremely difficult after being posted or sent.[50]
Prevention

According to the website Stop Cyberbullying, "When schools try and get involved by disciplining the
student for cyberbullying actions that took place off campus and outside of school hours, they are often
sued for exceeding their authority and violating the student's free speech right." [47] They suggest for
schools to make revisions to their policies that would allow for disciplinary actions to take place even if
off campus or after hours. They say if the act is likely to affect a student mentally or physically while in
school then the revision of the policy would allow for the staff to intervene without violating the
student's constitutional rights.

Cyberbullying has become extremely prevalent; 95% of teens who use social media reported having
witnessed malicious behavior on social media from 2009 to 2013.[51] As sites like Facebook or Twitter
offer no routine monitoring, children from a young age must learn proper internet behavior, say
Abraham Foxman and Cyndi Silverman. "This is a call for parents and educators to teach these modern
skills... through awareness and advocacy."[52] Per Scott Eidler, "Parents and educators need to make
children aware at a young age of the life-changing effects cyberbullying can have on the victim. The next
step for prevention is advocacy. For example, three high school students from Melville, New York
organized a Bullying Awareness Walk, where several hundred people turned out to show their
support."[53]

Clara Wajngurt writes, "Other than organizing events, calling for social media sites to take charge could
make the difference between life and death. Cyberbullying is making it increasingly difficult to enforce
any form of prevention."[54] Joanna Wojcik concludes, "The rapid growth of social media is aiding the
spread of cyberbullying, and prevention policies are struggling to keep up. In order for prevention
policies to be put in place, the definition of cyberbullying must be stated, others must be educated on
how to recognize and prevent bullying, and policies that have already attempted to be enacted need to
be reviewed and learned from."[55]

Researcher Charisse Nixon found that students do not reach out for help with cyberbullying for four
main reasons: they do not feel connected to the adults around them; the students do not see the
cyberbullying as an issue that is worth bringing forward; they do not feel the surrounding adults have
the ability to properly deal with the cyberbullying; and the teenagers have increased feelings of shame
and humiliation regarding the cyberbullying.[56] Nixon also found that when bystanders took action in
helping end the cyberbullying in adolescents, the results were more positive than when the adolescents
attempted to resolve the situation without outside help.[56]

Sexual bullying

Main article: Sexual bullying

Sexual bullying is "any bullying behavior, whether physical or non-physical, that is based on a person’s
sexuality or gender. It is when sexuality or gender is used as a weapon by boys or girls towards other
boys or girls—although it is more commonly directed at girls. It can be carried out to a person’s face,
behind their back or through the use of technology."[57]

As part of its research into sexual bullying in schools, the BBC TV series Panorama commissioned a
questionnaire aimed at people aged 11 to 19 in schools and youth clubs across five regions of
England.[58] The survey revealed that of the 273 respondents, 28 had been forced to do something
sexual, and 31 had seen it happen to someone else. Of the 273 respondents, 40 had experienced
unwanted touching.[59] U.K. government figures show that in the 2007–2008 school year, there were
3,450 fixed-period exclusions and 120 expulsions from schools in England due to sexual misconduct.[60]
This included incidents such as groping and using sexually insulting language. From April 2008 to March
2009, ChildLine counselled a total of 156,729 children, 26,134 of whom spoke about bullying as a main
concern and 300 of whom spoke specifically about sexual bullying.[61]

The U.K. charity Beatbullying has claimed that as gang culture enters, children are being bullied into
providing sexual favours in exchange for protection.[62] However, other anti-bullying groups and
teachers' unions, including the National Union of Teachers, challenged the charity to provide evidence of
this.[62]

Sexting cases are also on the rise and have become a major source of bullying. The circulation of explicit
photos of those involved either around school or the internet put the originators in a position to be
scorned and bullied.[63] There have been reports of some cases in which the bullying has been so
extensive that the victim has taken their life.[64]

Higher education bullying

According to HealthDay News, 15 percent of college students claim to have been victims of bullying
while at college.[65] In the article, "Bullying not a thing of the past for college students," Kaitlyn Krasselt
writes, "Bullying comes in all forms but is usually thought of as a K-12 issue that ceases to exist once
students head off to college."[66] The misconception that bullying does not occur in higher education
began to receive attention after the death of college student Tyler Clementi.

Power imbalance

Bullying is usually associated with an imbalance of power.[67] A bully has a perceived authority over
another due to factors such as size, gender, or age.[68] Boys tend to bully peers based on the peer's
physical weakness, short temper, friend group, and clothing. Bullying among girls, on the other hand,
results from factors such as facial appearance, emotional factors, being overweight, and academic
status.[69] Both sexes tend to target people with speech impediments of some sort (such as stutter).
Bullies often come from families that use physical forms of discipline.[70]

Locations

Bullying locations vary by context. Most bullying in elementary school happens in the playground. In
middle school and high school, it occurs most in the hallways, which have little supervision. According to
the U.S Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics, more than 47% of kids
reported getting bullied in hallways and stairway.[71] Bus stops and bus rides to and from school tend to
be hostile environments as well; children tend to view the driver as someone with no disciplinary
authority.[72]

Bullying may also follows people into adult life and university. Bullying can take over the lives of both
lecturers and students, and can lead to supervisors putting pressure on students.[73] Bullying can
happen in any place at any time.

Warning signs

Victims of bullying typically are physically smaller, more sensitive, unhappy, cautious, anxious, quiet, and
withdrawn. They are often described as passive or submissive. Possessing these qualities make these
individuals vulnerable, as they are seen as being less likely to retaliate.[70]

Signs that a child is being bullied include:[74][75]

Unexplainable injuries

Showing anxiety and post-traumatic stress

Lost or destroyed clothing

Changes in eating habits

Declining grades

Continual school absences

Self-injury

Suicidal tendencies

Becoming overly apologetic

Signs that a child is bullying others include:[74][75]

Getting into physical or verbal fights

Getting sent to the principal's office frequently

Having friends who bully others

Becoming increasingly aggressive in normal activities

Signs that a child has witnessed bullying include:[74][75]

Poor school behavior

Emotional disturbance

Depression

Post-traumatic stress

Drug and alcohol abuse

Suicidal tendencies

Roles

Cartoon representation of a bully and a victim used to depict Western European powers and the United
States "bullying" Serbia in the aftermath of the 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence during the
2008 Serbian protests

McNamee and Mercurio state that there is a "bullying triangle", consisting of the person doing the
bullying, the person getting bullied, and the bystander.[76]

The US Department of Health and Human Services divides the people involved in bullying into several
roles:[74]

Bully: student with social and/or physical power who repeatedly picks on another student or group of
students with the intent to inflict harm or discomfort

Victim: the target of the bullying

Bystander: student who observes bullying; they may ignore it, encourage it, or defend the victim

Student who assists: does not start the bullying, but helps and is encouraged by surrounding peers to do
so. They may feel that their social status will be damaged if they are not involved.

Student who reinforces: play a minor role in bullying, such as laughing at the bully's insults
Outsider: not involved in the bullying but witnesses it

Defendant: defends the victim or consoles them afterwards

In her book, The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander, Barbara Coloroso divides bullies into several
types:[77]

The confident bully has a very high opinion of themselves and feels a sense of superiority over other
students.

The social bully uses rumors, gossip, and verbal taunts to insult others. Social bullies are typically female
and possess low self-esteem, and therefore try to bring others down.

The fully armored bully shows very little emotion and often bullies when no one will see or stop them.

The hyperactive bully typically has problems with academics and social skills. This student will often
bully someone, then place the blame on someone else.

A bullied bully is usually someone who has been bullied in the past or is bullied by an older sibling.

A "bunch of bullies" (more often referred to as a "gang of bullies") is a group of friends who gang up on
others for fun or due to their desire for power.

Complex cultural dynamics

Parsons identifies school bullying cultures as typically having a web of dynamics which are much more
complex than just considering bullying amongst students. These dynamics include:[78]

Some students bully other students; some of these student bullies are themselves bullied by other
student bullies; some of these student bullies bully teachers.

Some teachers bully students; some teacher bullies bully other teachers; some teacher bullies bully
parents.

Some office staff bully teachers, students and parents.

Some principals bully teachers, office staff, students and parents.

Some parents bully teachers, office staff, principals, and even their own children.[79]

Common misconceptions

Researchers have identified many misconceptions regarding bullying:[80][81]

Bullying is a consequence of large class or school size.

Bullying is a consequence of competition for grades and failure in school.

Bullying is a consequence of poor self-esteem and insecurity.

Bullying is just teasing.

Some people deserve to be bullied.

Only boys are bullies.

Bullying is a normal part of growing up.

Bullies will go away if ignored.

The best way to deal with a bully is by fighting or trying to get even.

People who are bullied will only hurt for a while before recovering.

Bullying is thought of as a K-12 issue that ceases to exist once students enter college.[66]

Prevention

Studies have shown that bullying programs set up in schools with the help and engagements of staff and
faculty have been shown to reduce peer victimization and bullying.[82] Incidences of bullying are
noticeably reduced when the students themselves disapprove of bullying.[83]

Measures such as increasing awareness,[contradictory] instituting zero tolerance for fighting, or placing
troubled students in the same group or classroom are actually ineffective in reducing bullying; methods
that are effective include increasing empathy for victims; adopting a program that includes teachers,
students, and parents; and having students lead anti-bullying efforts.[84][pages needed] Success is most
associated with beginning interventions at an early age, constantly evaluating programs for
effectiveness, and having some students simply take online classes to avoid bullies at school.[85]

One possible prevention and intervention for bullying is "positive behavioral interventions and supports"
(PBIS). This is defined as a "framework for enhancing adoption of a continuum of evidence based
interventions to achieve academically and behaviorally important outcomes for all students. PBIS seeks
to improve school climate, reduce discipline issues, and support academic achievement."[86]

Legislation and court rulings

Main article: Anti-bullying legislation

[icon]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2016)

Some U.S. states have implemented laws to address school bullying.

Law that prohibits discrimination against students based on sexual orientation and gender identity
 Law that prohibits discrimination against students based on sexual orientation only

Law that prohibits bullying of students based on sexual orientation and gender identity

School regulation or ethical code for teachers that address discrimination and/or bullying of students
based on sexual orientation and gender identity

School regulation or ethical code for teachers that address discrimination and/or bullying of students
based on sexual orientation only

Law that forbids school-based instruction of LGBT issues in a positive manner

Law that prohibits bullying in school but lists no categories of protection

No statewide law that specifically prohibits bullying in schools

United Kingdom

Section 89 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 provides for an anti-bullying policy for all state
schools to be made available to parents.

United States

The victims of some school shootings have sued both the shooters' families and the schools.[87] At one
point only 23 states had Anti-Bullying laws. In 2015 Montana became the last state to have an anti-
bullying law and at that point all 50 states had an anti-bullying law. These laws are not going to abolish
bullying but it does bring attention to the behavior and it lets the aggressors know it will not be
tolerated.[88]

Canada

In 2016, a legal precedent was set by a mother and her son, after the son was bullied at his public
school. The mother and son won a court case against the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, making
this the first case in North America where a school board has been found negligent in a bullying case for
failing to meet the standard of care (the "duty of care" that the school board owes to its students). A
similar bullying case was won in Australia in 2013 (Oyston v. St. Patricks College).[89]

Taiwan

The Ministry of Education launched a serial of project. In 2006, they started the 'anti-bully plan'. In 2008,
they launched the 'prevent bully video from public project', and also building multiple informants route,
monitoring the school, in hope that it could improve the education quality.[90]

School shootings

Main article: School shootings

School bullying is associated with school shootings; the vast majority of students (87%) believe that
shootings occur in direct retaliation to bullying.[91] School shooters who left behind evidence that they
were bullied include Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold (perpetrators of the Columbine school shooting),
Nathan Ferris, Edmar Aparecido Freitas, Brian Head, Seung-Hui Cho, Wellington Menezes Oliveira,
Kimveer Gill, Karl Pierson, and Jeff Weise.[92][unreliable source?]