Home › Educator Resources › Facing Today ›

Bullies and Their Enablers

in
June 9, 2009
How should those who work with children - pediatricians, educators, parents and community members - respond to bullying behavior? In the article, "At Last, Facing Down Bullies (and Their Enablers)," Dr. Perri Klass reviews research that provides answers to this important question. The ideas in this article can be shared with students as a way to begin a conversation about bullying in their schools, and in larger society.


Discussion Questions: 
  • According to Dr. Klass, "By definition, bullying involves repetition; a child is repeatedly the target of taunts or physical attacks - or, in the case of so-called indirect bullying (more common among girls), rumors and social exclusion." Do you agree with this definition of bullying? How might you expand or change this definition to reflect what you know about bullying?
  • The Academy or Pediatrics recommends an approach that focuses attention on bystanders. What is a bystander? What role can bystanders play in preventing bullies from acting in hurtful ways and in protecting victims from abuse?
  • In the article, Dr. Klass writes that "‘activating the bystanders' means changing the culture of the school." What does it mean to "activate the bystanders?" How do you think this could be accomplished? How would school culture need to be changed so that all members of the school community - students, staff and parents - saw it as their role to prevent bullying?
  • Who do you think is responsible for stopping bullying behavior at school? Who do you think could have the most powerful impact on the behavior of bullies?