Bullying is generally accepted as a fact of life, an unpleasant but unavoidable part of the transition from childhood to maturity. But bullying can harm a young person's development. It is vital that we do all we can to protect New York's schoolchildren from vicious harassment and make sure schools are safe and welcoming for students.
The long-awaited anti-bullying policy announced by the city is a promising move in the right direction, but in the face of such a serious problem, further action is needed.
Researchers theorize that bullies, as a result of aggressive personalities, are less conflict averse and therefore put themselves in greater danger while the bullied are unassertive and browbeaten, making them easy victims for peers or criminals.
In one study, almost 90 percent of elementary schoolchildren reported being bullied and 59 percent claimed to have bullied other students. The problem has been further compounded by the spread of information technology which enables cyber bullying over the Internet and mobile phones.
Recent incidents of bullying in the city, sometimes featuring religious or ethnic bias, have also shocked parents and teachers. In one of the most serious cases, a Queens high school student punched a Sikh classmate in the face and tried to remove his religiously mandated turban.
The city's new “Respect for All” initiative sets up clear procedures for handling reports of bullying, provides literature to educate students and parents about the new policy and mandates additional training for school staff. The new policies require an annual citywide report on bullying to provide school officials with reliable information on the problem.
The initiative includes measures to make staff and students more aware of bullying and what recourses are available to victims. This is a good start, but the educational component of the program, still relatively unformed, should be expanded so bullying can be prevented outright and not merely reported more efficiently.
This is where the “Dignity for All Students Act” comes in. Passed by the state Assembly, it requires instruction at all grade levels on the principles of tolerance, personal responsibility, respect for others and respect for the law.
It is essential we do all we can to prevent such harassment before it happens and that our schools work to make our children not just good students, but good people.
Rory Lancman
State Assemblyman
D-Fresh Meadows
