43
Downturn in economy brings uptick in bullying, officials say
By kristine Gill
youngstown
A story about cyberbullying in The Vindicator in September solicited calls and e-mails from concerned parents about similar incidents.
At least two local family therapists say the issues of bullying and cyberbullying are as prevalent in our area as they are nationally.
Alice Neuman, a psychologist with Canfield Counseling Center, said she has noticed an increase in the number of children she sees about bullying issues in the area during her 40 years in the field.
“As economic times get more desperate, it filters down to the children too,” Neuman said. “Bullying and other kinds of violence increase.”
A program director from Valley Counseling Services in Warren, who did not wish to be named, said her office has seen its highest number of bullying incidents in the elementary and middle school age group.
“We treat kids all the way from age 3 up into transitional ages into their 20s at the children’s office,” she said. “There seems to be a high need to address this issue.”
The Vindicator collected bullying-related police reports from several area police departments since that time as examples of the type of punishable bullying practices.
In perhaps the most publicized local incident, a black West Branch family pulled its two children from the predominantly white school district in November after reports of racial slurs and threats directed at their son.
In late November, a Youngstown father filed a report with Austintown police regarding his 17-year-old son who had been receiving threatening text messages on his phone. No arrests were made in that case, but the offense was listed as menacing.
In another November report, four juveniles in Canfield faced charges of criminal damage after showing up at a classmate’s home to allegedly beat her up. One juvenile kicked the plate glass living room window of the house, breaking it before police arrived, and the teens ran off. All were apprehended and later released to their parents pending possible charges.
In October, the mother of a Youngstown Academy of Excellence student reported that another girl had pushed her daughter and pulled her hair causing her to hit her head on the ground. The family moved to the area from Columbus in September and had had problems with bullies since. The report said the juvenile division would contact the family about the incident, which the mother said the school district had not been effective in resolving.
The mother of a Glenwood Middle School student made a report with Boardman police Nov. 17 stating that another student had poked her daughter in her right arm with a pencil eraser about 50 times leaving behind four small bruises. The girl then poked the victim in the arm with the pencil’s tip causing her to bleed.
WHY KIDS BULLY
Barbara Coloroso is recognized as a national bullying expert and wrote the book “The Bully, the Bullied and the Bystander.” She said bullying is not as simple as mean kids picking on the outcasts.
“Part of the problem is that we fail to discern the difference between normal, necessary and natural conflict and bullying,” she said. “This is not about conflict but utter contempt ...Once I feel contempt for someone, I can do anything without feeling compassion.”
Coloroso said that behavior can be traced to parents who make offhand comments about people of another religion or race, meant seriously or not.
“Kids learn very young that people are different, but they have to be taught that they’re less than you,” she said.
Coloroso cites dozens of examples of extreme bullying in her book from across the country. Many were ignored by authorities, went undetected by parents or teachers or resulted in suicide.
“We ignore this at our children’s peril,” Coloroso said, adding that every complaint should be taken seriously.
“If it’s reported and affects the school climate at all, we have an obligation to deal with it,” she said.
But Coloroso said anti-bullying programs aren’t the answer. “We need programs that are more inclusive, that teach us to share generously, care deeply, help willingly,” she said. “It’s not a quick fix. The biggest thing we can do is to say ‘Not here. Not in my sight. Not anymore.”
how to stop bullying
Robin Young is a program coordinator for the National Crime Prevention Council based in Arlington, Va.
She works with schools to form action plans to create safe and welcoming school communities. She said the key to that kind of environment is consistency.
“We present schools with lessons plans, but once the student goes home they might see bullying behavior from their parents,” Young said. “Implementing messages and awareness has to be consistent at home, in school and throughout the community system.”
Young said many schools she works with don’t realize they have serious bullying issues but are trying to address a problem before it flares up.
“Some schools are proactive, but it really does come on the heels of stories of suicides or school shootings,” she said. “They’re proactive in the sense that they haven’t seen it in their schools yet, but because they’ve seen it in the media, they want to take action on it... Kids are really good at hiding the ugliest part of their lives.”
Young said she offers talking points and ways to tell parents their child is being bullied or is doing the bullying. Many times, that can be the most difficult part of addressing the issue.
“It ultimately starts with a conversation,” she said.