Bullying in schools often an unseen issue

JEDDAH: Adults are often the last ones to know when a child is bullied at school. However, parents or school authorities should step in if any child is being beaten, threatened or taunted by another pupil.
A high school boy was beaten up and harassed by fellow classmates as punishment for abandoning their group since he wanted to concentrate on studies. The father of the boy said, “The decision of my son to leave the group angered the boys and they decided to teach him a lesson. Although my son didn’t mention this fight to us, I learned about it when I saw his injuries.”
The man said his son didn’t want him to complain it to the principal as he was afraid of being victimized again.
“However, we reported the matter to the principal. There are bullies in all schools who intimidate children all the time. I believe school authorities need to identify and keep a check on the culprits so that any weaker student does not get hurt,” he said.
Likewise, Fatimah, a mother, said her 10-year-old boy was constantly being bullied because of his weight and he was afraid that if he told anyone they would bully him more. His grades dropped and he stopped going to school.
“After we saw signs of withdrawal from everything, we reported to the school authorities. Most of the times parents learn about it later, but the teachers can help students if they find any change in their behavior. The issue of safety should be every school’s policy and it is important for teachers and administrators to come together and eradicate such behavior,” she said.
Parents urged schools to help children affected by traditional bullying or cyberbullying and to prevent the potentially tragic results.
Munawara, 23, said that she was a victim of cyberbullying. “A couple of years ago, a school friend posted my picture when I was hefty. That picture got lots of comments, mostly negative. I felt really bad,” she said.
“Most of the time to rectify the situation, we can block that person or report abuse, and the most important thing is to keep a clear head to deal with such situations, rather than get affected by it,” she said.
According to the Communications and Information Technology Commission, crimes such as threat, blackmail and abuse are common forms of cyberbullying. The person charged with this crime can be imprisoned and fined.
Moreover, any kind of bullying should not be treated casually by parents because ignoring the situation hurts the victim even more and encourages bullies to think that it is acceptable behavior.
Dr. Wafa, a psychologist and a school counselor, said that with the ever-present nature of social media and the Internet the possibility of cyberbullying increases.
“I have heard several stories from students complaining about being mocked or abused by fellow students on social networking sites, which leaves them isolated and humiliated. Sometimes, in such situations, they become depressed, anxious and want to harm themselves. Their academic performance is also adversely affected,” she said.