Yale researchers reviewed 37 studies in several countries. The conclusion is that BOTH those bullied and bullies themselves are at increased risk of suicide – see http://www.sciencedaily.com/re…
A zero tolerance for bullying, and some form of help for both the victim and the bully are critical. Children who bully turn out to often be victims of abuse themselves, and copying what is done to them. Bullies are both dangerous and unwell. Bullying is sick behavior, and dangerous both to the victim and the bully.
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Deb, when you say “zero tolerance” for bullying, what do you mean? I have reservations against such policies — the school equivalent of minimum sentencing — but I want to hear what you have in mind before saying anything.
My version of Zero tolerance, as practiced at Farr Academy:
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p>At a first occurrence, the bully and the victim are assigned to a counselor who works first one on one, and then with the two of them together until there is a resolution, a kind of mediated solution brokered by the adult but accepted by both the victim and bully – and both receive their education with one on one adult supervision until this occurs. A bit labor intensive for a public school, right? Farr Academy is an out of district therapeutic day school that specializes in students who are not congitively limited but, shall we say, delayed in the development of impulse control.
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p>I do not mean expulsion or suspension but rather immediate adult intervention.