Youth bullying has been a significant problem in the education system for generations. It is defined as repeated, unwanted behavior from one or more students that is inflicted upon another child. The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) claim that more than 3.2 million students are victims of bullying annually. Studies from the National Education Association (NEA) state approximately 160,000 teenagers are absent each day due to bullying. Unfortunately, more serious cases have recently resulted in tragic school shootings which have gripped the nation each and every time. According to several studies, the top motivator for school shootings in the United States is bullying. Almost 75 percent of school shootings involved some form of bullying or harassment. Furthermore, bullying can also lead to suicides. According to studies by Yale University, victims of bullying are two or nine times more likely to attempt suicide compared to students who aren’t victims. Research shows that continuous bullying can result in increased feelings of rejection, despair, isolation, as well as anxiety and depression, which can all contribute to suicidal thoughts. The main forms of bullying include:
- Physical – This type of bullying involves aggressive physical confrontation. Common examples include frequent hitting, kicking, pushing, tripping, blocking, damaging belongings, or otherwise touching in an inappropriate manner.
- Verbal – This type of bullying involves constantly hurling insults and putting down others. This includes name-calling, making racist/homophobic/sexist remarks, making threats, demanding money, or otherwise using any kind of abusive language.
- Social – This type of bullying is more prevalent in high school, typically involving spreading harmful rumors, being excluded from certain groups, hazing, and other forms of alienation.
- Cyberbullying – This type of bullying has become more and more prevalent because of how much we use our cell phones and the Internet on a daily basis. Most common forms of cyberbullying include sending threatening texts or emails, sharing pictures or videos of bullying, sharing nude or sexually explicit material (revenge porn), bullying through social media messaging, and even bullying on multiplayer video games.
Although most schools have strict policies and guidelines against bullying, the NASP states that one out of four teachers don’t believe bullying is an issue and will only intervene four percent of the time. In other cases, they finally address the issue when it is too late. If your child is a victim of bullying at school and you don’t believe the school hasn’t done enough, our Toledo personal injury attorneys at Williams DeClark Tuschman Co., L.P.A. can help you file a claim with the district. In some cases, we can also file a claim against the bully and/or their family, especially if bullying leads to criminal offenses such as assault, battery, stalking, criminal harassment, or even child pornography (if there is an element of revenge porn). Not only can we help you recover the compensation your child deserves, but we can also make the school and community safer.
For more information, contact us and schedule a free consultation today.