Bullying/Cyberbullying Prevention & Intervention

  • What is Bullying?

    Bullying is defined as a deliberate, repeated act with intention to hurt, insult or threaten another person in school, on school grounds, in school vehicles, or at school events.  Bullying consists of an imbalance of power. 
     
    According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (Nansel et al., 2001), Approximately 30% of all children and youth in grades 6 through 10 have been bullied or have bullied other children “sometimes” or more often within a semester.  Think about it like this, in a class of thirty students, approximately 10 students have bullied or been bullied.  Children who are bullied are more likely to be depressed, lonely, anxious, low self-esteem, feel unwell, and think more about suicide.  They may not want to come to school and do poorly in school. 
     
    Bullying can take many forms such as:  hitting or punching (physical bullying); teasing or name-calling (verbal bullying); intimidation through gestures or social exclusion (nonverbal bullying or emotional bullying) and sending insulting messages by e-mail (cyberbullying).

Bullying, Peer Conflicts & Teasing

  • Signs a Child is Being Bullied

    Look for changes in the child. However, be aware that not all children who are bullied exhibit warning signs. Some signs that may point to a bullying problem are:
     
    • Unexplainable injuries
    • Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewelry
    • Frequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling sick or faking illness
    • Changes in eating habits, like suddenly skipping meals or binge eating. Kids may come home from school hungry because they did not eat lunch.
    • Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares
    • Declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork, or not wanting to go to school
    • Sudden loss of friends or avoidance of social situations
    • Feelings of helplessness or decreased self-esteem
    • Self-destructive behaviors such as running away from home, harming themselves, or talking about suicide
     

    What to Do

     If You Are Being Bullied
    • Tell an adult that you trust.
    • Do not show anger or fear.
    • Calmly tell the bully to stop or say nothing and walk away.
    • Avoid situations where bullying is likely to happen.
     
    If Someone You Know is Being Bullied
    • Don't encourage the bully by laughing or joining in.
    • If you feel safe, tell the bully to stop!
    • Encourage the person who was bullied to talk to someone they trust about what happened.
     
    If you or someone you know has seen or been a victim of cyberbullying, or any sort of harassment, contact your school administrator or school counselor.
     
    You can also contact Security and Emergency Management Director Tim Knight or call the anonymous tipline:  1-855-OK-SAY-IT
      
    Tim Knight
    Security & Emergency Management Director                           
    843-899-8330
     
     
     

    Digital Citizenship/Cyberbullying

    At Berkeley County School District, we strive to help protect our children from the dangers present in today's world.  As new technologies emerge, there is an ever increasing risk to the safety and well-being of our students. Below you can find resources on some of the current internet safety threats to our children.
     
     

    What is Cyberbullying?

    Cyberbullying is an intentional electronic act or series of acts directed at another student or students that creates substantial interference with a student’s education, creates a threatening environment, or disrupts the orderly operation of school. These acts include, but are not limited to:
    • Sending hurtful, rude, or mean text messages, images, or videos.
    • Spreading hurtful messages, rumors or lies about others by e-mail or on social networks.
    • Creating websites, videos, or social media profiles that embarrass, humiliate or make fun of others.
    Cyberbullying is strictly prohibited by Berkeley County School District and will result in disciplinary action. Any student who witnesses, or has reliable information that a student has been subject to harassment, intimidation, or bullying (includes cyberbullying) should report the incident to the principal or the designated school contact person. Reports may be anonymous; however, formal disciplinary action will not be taken solely on the basis of an anonymous report.
     
     
    Parents and school staff should be vigilant and look for warning signs that a student might be a target or perpetrator of cyberbullying. 
     
     

    What is Sexting?

    Sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit messages, photos, or video images on cell phones or through computer webcams.  Sexting is strictly prohibited by Berkeley County School District and will result in disciplinary action. The sending and receiving of these sexually explicit images and videos among minors can also sometimes result in legal ramifications. 
     
    Please review the resource below for more information on these topics and more...
     
     

    Parents

     

    Teachers

     
    Students
     
     
    The content of these links are not controlled by Berkeley County School District. While school staff members review links when they are inserted on district or school pages, the contents of the linked page can change at any time. Furthermore, school staff members may not have reviewed links found within the linked page. If you find linked content that you consider inappropriate, please email webmaster@bcsdschools.net. Explore the link(s) at your own risk.