Bullying in US schools on a decline
Mixed results were obtained from a massive survey of 43,321 teens from 100 schools in the United States which reported a decline in overall rates of bullying from 2008. Teens were 15-18 years of age and belonged to 78 public schools and 22 private schools.
Bullying and get bullied is common in high school students regardless of gender and public or private type of schools. High numbers of students (50%) admitted to bullying others and 47% felt upset over the way they were bullied.
However, this survey does not account for internet bullying that is prevalent and impactful. Michael Josephson, Founder and President of the Josephson Institute, says that the intensity of bullying has augmented over past 20 years. Information posted on the internet is a permanent, disturbing and spreads rapidly.
Bullying behavior and victimization is more prevalent in today’s world. All these factors contribute to suicide in teens. Present day technologies like cell phones replace the earlier generation fist fights, holding to ground and spitting. Nowadays students use cell phones to post messages and attach damaging pictures of victims.
Physical violence was reported by 33% of all teens and 26% felt unsafe. The survey compared data from public, religious and non-religious schools. Rates of Verbal and emotional abuse like racial slurs remained the same in all schools. Public schools fared worst in violence and feelings of a lack of safety. Some students came to school armed with a gun.
Students get bullied because of several reasons some of which are they were gay or perceived to be gay, did not belong to the particular group.
Continuous national attention to bullying has improved over past 3 years. President Obama requested a 12% increase in funding for anti-bullying program in August.
Now bullying pertaining to sexual orientation and religion is a civil rights violation. The percentage of students feeling unsafe at school dropped from 73% to 24% in surveys conducted in 2008 and 2010 respectively.