"Parents should be able to teach their children to protect and defend themselves when faced with a bully."
"Parents should be able to teach their children to protect and defend themselves when faced with a bully."
Bullying in kindergarten, elementary and secondary education is not a new phenomenon. While schools are expected to be a safe haven for our children, they can still be pervaded by bullying. Bullying is a reality that has been with us for as long we can remember. Others ignore it to consequently avoid being the object of bullying. It is also undeniably present in colleges, universities, workplaces, and organizations.
To most, bullying is improper or ill conduct —a result of an attitudinal problem. However, when the bully starts to instill fear of physical or emotional harm or damage to property of another student. creates a hostile environment for the victim, or substantially disrupts the education process or orderly operation of the school, then the bully must be subject to disciplinary measures (Section 3(b), Rule II, Implementing Rules and Regulations of R.A. 10627).
It is interesting to note that the word “bully” was used five hundred years ago as a term of endearment; derived from the Dutch word “boel” for brother, or the German “buhle” for lover. The meaning of “bully” later evolved to define someone who is a bluster or harasser of the weak, and today describes a person who abuses another (https://www.naturesfare.com/community-environment/changing-bullying-behaviours/).
In the United States, all the 50 States have passed school anti-bullying legislation; the first being Georgia in 1999 and the last state being Montana in 2015 (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-bullying_legislation). In the Philippines, Republic Act 10627, otherwise known as the “Anti-Bullying Act of 2013,” was enacted to address the growing incidence of bullying inside school premises, locations adjacent to the school, in school-related or -sponsored activities, and by means of technology or any electronic means (Section 5(1), Rule IV and Section 3(b) (4), Rule II, Implementing Rules and Regulations of R.A. 10627).
. The most common bullying strategies are name-calling, directing foul language at the target, commenting negatively on the victim’s looks, clothes and body, or unwanted physical contact between the bully and the victim like punching, pushing, shoving, kicking, slapping, doing headlocks and using weapons, among others. On the other hand, cyber-bullying includes texting, email messaging, chatting, use of the internet and other social media platforms (Section 3(b)(1-4), Rule II, Implementing Rules and Regulations of R.A. 10627).
. In high school, I witnessed students being bullied and subjected to derogatory statements because of their nationality, ethnic affinity, gender preferences or social activity. At that time, it seemed that bullying was just misbehavior or misconduct; and part of the misadventures of a student in his adolescent life. To avoid being bullied, you have to appear and be perceived as physically or emotionally strong, and you must be ready to stand up to the bully if he or she attempts to threaten you.
To me, bullying is as real today as it was decades ago. Unfortunately, it is a fact of life that the strong prey upon the weak: A cycle of violence that remains unchecked in educational institutions. Today, aside from the face-to-face encounter, there is another mode of bullying that abounds through the use of technology and by other electronic means. With the use of modern technology, messages can be easily circulated by text, email or chat from unknown sources or anonymous senders to ridicule, harass or embarrass the target or victim. These messages may even go “viral” if posted and disseminated online.
With these challenges, the Anti–Bullying Act directed the elementary and secondary schools to adopt policies to address the existence of bullying in their institutions, and to identify the range of disciplinary administrative actions that may be taken against the perpetrator (Section 3(b), Republic Act No. 10627). It also prohibits acts of retaliation against a person who reports bullying, provides information during an investigation, or who has reliable information about bullying (Section 3(a)(3), Republic Act No. 10627).
In addition to the disciplinary sanctions that will be imposed upon the perpetrator, he or she shall be required to undergo rehabilitation which shall be administered by the institution concerned. The parents of the perpetrator shall be encouraged to participate in the rehabilitation program (Section 3(b), Republic Act No. 10627). There shall be intervention programs to address the issues that influenced the perpetrator to commit bullying; factors that make the victim a target of bullying; and effects of bullying (Section 7, Rule IV, Implementing Rules and Regulations of R.A. 10627).
The elementary and secondary schools are required to establish procedures and strategies to: (a) report acts of bullying and retaliation; (b) promptly respond to reports and investigations of bullying and retaliation; (c) restore a sense of safety for a victim and assess the need for his protection; (d) protect the person who reports bullying or retaliation; and (e) provide counseling for or referral of the perpetrator, victims, and their families to counseling (Section 3(c), Republic Act No. 10627).
Education and awareness of bullying are the key to prevention. In this regard, it is the duty of the schools to educate the students, parents and guardians on the dynamics of bullying, the anti-bullying policies of the school, the mechanisms for the anonymous reporting of acts of bullying or retaliation, and how parents and guardians can provide support to reinforce such policies at home (Section 3(f)(g), Republic Act No. 10627).
The schools are obliged to keep and maintain a public record of relevant information and statistics on acts of bullying or retaliation. The names of students who committed acts of bullying or retaliation shall be strictly confidential and only made available to the school administration, teachers directly responsible, and parents or guardians of students who are victims of acts of bullying or retaliation (Section 3(h), Republic Act No. 10627).
It is the duty of any member of the school administration, student, parent or volunteer to immediately report any incident of bullying or act of retaliation to the school principal or school officer or person designated to handle issues of bullying. Upon receipt of such a report, the school principal or the designated school officer shall promptly investigate and determine if bullying or retaliation has occurred (Section 4, Republic Act No. 10627).
Complaints of bullying and other related acts shall be within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Department of Education or the private school, and shall not be brought for amicable settlement before the Barangay (Section 10(A), Rule VI, Implementing Rules and Regulations of R.A. 10627). If the bullying incident or retaliation has resulted in serious physical injuries or death, the provisions of Republic Act No. 9344 or the Juvenile Justice Welfare Act, as amended will apply (Section 10(a), Rule VI, Implementing Rules and Regulations of R.A. 10627).
In any event, any information relating to the identity and personal circumstances of the bully, victim, or bystander shall be treated with utmost confidentiality by the Child Protection Committee of the school. The names may only be available to the school head or administrator, teacher, or guidance counselor designated by the school head, and parents and guardians of students who were victims of bullying or retaliation (Section 11, Rule VI, Implementing Rules and Regulations of R.A. 10627).
While there are legal measures to prevent bullying, programs for rehabilitation and victim intervention, and potential disciplinary actions against the bully, these corrective steps may not completely heal the physical, emotional and psychological trauma which is the result of the bullying experience. Hence, parents should always be aware of what is happening to their children so that they can help them avoid potential bullies. By doing this, parents will be able to teach their children to protect and defend themselves when faced with a bully.