Todays M.I.A.

Objectives

2. Discuss bullying and pressures

3. Learn about Texas anti -bully law 4. Child/parent: What to do?

Reasons why a Child does not attend school

I dont understand Conflict with Teacher/ School official

Fear of Failure

Can Columbine happen here?

Being Bullied, Peer Pressure, drugs, gangs

Fear of Failure
Fear

of getting poor grades. Fear of disappointing parents/teachers. Fear of participating/failing in athletics. Fear of public-speaking. Classroom, homework, test, and quiz anxiety.

I dont understand

Some children attempt to mask a learning disability by avoiding school. This is especially likely to occur when the teacher has been unaware of, or has been less than sensitive to the childs feelings. Fear of being publicly humiliated or of humiliating themselves by making it obvious that they are not learning. Dyslexic children may avoid having to read out loud. Some children resort to the alternative role as being the Class Clown. Afraid to ask questions, feel it is a dumb question.

Conflict with Teacher/ School Officials

Conflict and confrontation with teacher/school officials. Perception that the teacher/school officials are mean and that she or he doesnt like the student. Fear of teachers/school officials unfairness. Fear of teachers/school officials unwanted attention. Fear of public humiliation. Fear of being yelled at for making mistakes. Perceive teacher as overly demanding.

Can Columbine happen here?

There is a temporary increase students not attending school after an outbreak of violence at a school. The closer the proximity, the greater the fear. The wider the media coverage, also the greater the fear of the students. Watching movies about school violence can have a similar effect for some students. Overhearing students making threats, whether its on social media or word of mouth can also be scary to them.

According to the FBI: There are 33,000 plus violent street gangs with about 1.4 million members who are criminally active in the US today About 95% of hard core gang members are school drop outs According to Bully statistics: 1 out of 10 students dropped out because of repeated bullying Harassment and bullying has been linked to 75% of schoolshootings According to the CDC, by the time teenagers are 14 years old, they are peer pressured the following: 20% of them have tried a cigarette 66% have tried alcohol 25% of teen girls tried illegal drugs 30% plus have had sexual intercourse

Texas anti-bullying law took effect on Sept. 1, 2012

Effective Sept. 1, all school districts in Texas must have comprehensive antibullying policies in place. Everyone is entitled to respect

1. New law establishes a new bullying definition that includes through electronic means 2. Provides local school boards with discretion to transfer a student found to have been bullied to another classroom or another campus 3. Requires school districts to adopt and implement a bullying policy

Some signs that a student may be a victim of peer pressure and/or being bullying include:

Coming home from school with bruises, cuts, or other unexplained injuries Having damaged clothing, books, or possessions Often "losing" things that they take to school Complaining of frequently not feeling well before school or school activities Skipping certain classes Wanting to avoid going to school or going to school a certain way, such as taking strange routes home from school or not wanting to ride the bus Acting sad or depressed Withdrawing from others Saying they feel picked on Displaying low self esteem Mood swings, including anger or sadness Wanting to run away Trying to take a weapon to school Talking about suicide or violence against others

Child/Parent: What To Do?

Parents: Talk to your child often about what goes on at school, including with their friends, and ask if they are having problems. Parents: Show love and support; explain to your child that its not their fault. Parents: Seek counseling to help deal with your childs emotions, especially, if struggling with feelings of depression and anger. Parents/Child: Talk to teachers/school counselors. Parents/Child: Find positive social groups for you(r) child to be part of. Parent/child: Involvement law enforcement.

Child/Parent: What To Do?

Parents: Get your childs input. You need to be a safe place your child can turn to for help when dealing with bullying. Be open to your child, and make sure that you are accepting. Also, you should find out what has been tried to stop the bullying, and what has worked (or hasnt worked). Parents/Child: Talk to and be persistent the school authorities. Discuss the problem with your childs principal/vice-principal, teachers, and counselors. A meeting with all three can help everyone know how to help a child who is dealing with bullying. In many cases, bullying takes place in unsupervised areas, such as school buses, bathrooms, playgrounds and other areas that can be hard to monitor. If you know where the bullying is taking place, you can let school authorities know so that they can step up patrols in those areas to discourage bullying.

Child/Parent: What To Do?

Teach

your child to avoid the bully: Your child does not need to fight back. Encourage him/her to avoid the bully when possible. Suggest that he or she walk away, and go find a teacher or other trusted adult. Encourage your child to be assertive: It is not necessary to fight back to defeat a bully. You can teach your child to stand up straight and tell the bully, firmly, to leave him or her alone. In some cases, this type of assertiveness will work.

Child/Parent: What To Do?

Practice with your child: It might be beneficial to have a little bit of role play with your child. This way he or she can practice what to say to a bully, or how to leave a situation that could turn into bullying. Teach your child to move in groups: A good support system can be an effective deterrent against bullies. Have your child go to school and other places with trusted and true friends when dealing with bullying. Dont be afraid to involve law enforcement, your courage will make a difference in the bully no longer bothering your child, including others who are victims who are afraid to come forward.