Substantial Disruption

Bullying and ASD

Mike Tully — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 18:23:53 +0000

Being the victim of a childhood bully can have a lasting impact, including depression and diminished socioeconomic status, into adulthood. 1,2,3 Many adults who were once victims of bullying vividly recall the feelings of intimidation, the sometimes-daily battering of self-esteem. Many also recall the hands-off attitude that used to be common among teachers, principals, and other adults. Fortunately, bullying, which was once considered a normal and unavoidable part of the schoolyard landscape, is now viewed as a much more serious matter.

The issue of bullying may be particularly worrisome for parents of children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

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Cyber-bullying defies traditional stereotype

Mike Tully — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:12:57 +0000

(NOTE: Sameer Hinduja, quoted in this article, will be presenting detailed information on this topic at the 7th Annual Conference of the International Bullying Prevention Association in Seattle from November 15-17. Please click here for more information about the Conference. – Mike)

The advent of social networking sites and text messaging has allowed young girls the opportunity to take on a role traditionally reserved for boys, experts say.

The girls have become bullies – or, more specifically, cyber-bullies.

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Workplace Bullying Still Rampant in US

Mike Tully — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:50:34 +0000

(NOTE: Dr. Gary Namie will be representing the Workplace Bullying Institute at the 7th Annual Conference of the International Bullying Prevention Association in Seattle from November 15-17. Click here for more information about the Conference. – Mike)

In August, 2010 the Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI) commissioned Zogby International to conduct a survey of adult Americans. The results showed that workplace bullying is still a problem for 53 million Americans. In the scientific, national poll [http://workplacebullying.org], 34.4% of Americans report personally being bullied. In the frequently cited 2007 WBI-Zogby survey, the comparable figure was 37%. By including those who only witness it, 49% of the population is aware of bullying at work, while 51% say that have neither experienced nor seen it.

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ACLU says Oak Harbor schools can’t seize student phones (WA)

Mike Tully — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:54:09 +0000

Last year at Oak Harbor High School, four bullies were threatening a fellow student.

But they weren’t meeting her outside for a fight, or even yelling names at her — they were texting her.

Bullying has taken a technological turn, and officials at Oak Harbor School District are looking for ways to control it. Under a proposed new policy, that may mean seizing students’ cellphones with probable cause.

But do schools have that right? The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington (ACLU) says no.

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Study: Dads determine how sons will handle stress

Mike Tully — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:52:01 +0000

SAN DIEGO — Men who say they had a good relationship with their father while growing up react less to day-to-day stress as adults than those whose relationship with their dad was poor, new research suggests.

The study was among those on parents and kids presented at the four-day annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, which ended last week.

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Schools urged to host cyber safety day (AU)

Mike Tully — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 19:50:19 +0000

LEADER is calling on Victorians to declare September 6 a zero cyber-bully day.

Support is growing for Leader Community Newspapers’ Don’t Hurt campaign to tackle cyber-bullying.

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Anti-bullying law takes effect at start of school (MA)

Mike Tully — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 19:42:59 +0000

Students around the state will return soon to the hallowed halls of their respective schools for another year.

What makes this school year different from previous years is that it’s the first that school districts will need to be in compliance with the state’s new anti-bullying legislation, signed by Gov. Deval Patrick on May 3.

The law was passed by the Legislature after two Massachusetts students committed suicide following relentless bullying from some of their peers, according to reports.

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Missouri schools take on cyber-bullying with new law

Mike Tully — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 19:38:24 +0000

In recent years, school districts across the country have zeroed in on bullying, stepping into the middle of what was once considered common schoolyard behavior.

Now, a new Missouri law is pushing that effort off campus, placing schools in the midst of the gray area on how to handle the online activities of their students.

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Bullies Explain Why They Pick on Kids (UK)

Mike Tully — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 20:04:18 +0000

Though it may seem logical to go straight to the source on this issue, until now there were no researches that asked the bullies themselves about the reasons driving their actions.

It is widely known that children can indeed by very cruel for a variety of reasons, but investigators say that bullies stand out from this crowd due to the fact that they pick on others, and show cruelty towards them, repeatedly and without provocation.

According to the new research, the most aggressive bullies were those who picked on kids that did not do sports. This was especially true in the case of kids going to schools were sport was heavily promoted.

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Cyber Bullying Statistics

Mike Tully — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 20:01:40 +0000

Cyber bullying is a form of teen violence that can do lasting harm to young people. Statistics show that cyber bullying is a serious problem among adolescents and teens. By being more aware of cyber bullying, teens and adults can help to fight it.

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