Bullying, like, what even is it? Well, according to the CDC, bullying is when some kid or group of kids keeps being mean to another kid, but they’re not like siblings or dating or anything. It’s gotta involve some power imbalance and happen more than once or probably again, you know? This stuff can mess kids up in all sorts of ways, whether it’s physical, emotional, social, or messing with their schooling.
You got your different types of bullying, right? There’s the physical stuff like hitting and kicking, then the verbal junk like name-calling, and the social stuff like spreading rumors or excluding someone. Oh, and don’t forget about damaging someone’s stuff—yeah, that counts too.
You’d think this bullying stuff only happens in person, but nah, it can go down online too. That’s what they call cyberbullying, where someone’s getting picked on through texts or social media. It’s not just one-way traffic either; sometimes the same kid gets bullied and bullies others, which is a whole mess.
Now, here’s the lowdown on the stats: bullying is like a national pastime in the U.S. About one in five high schoolers says they’ve been bullied on school grounds in the last year. And guess what? Over a sixth of high school students have been cyberbullied too—thanks, technology.
Ladies, watch out, ’cause the stats show that they’re more likely to get bullied than guys. And students from Asian and Pacific Islander backgrounds are less likely to be bullied compared to Hispanic, White, and Multiracial students. It’s all a big mess, but we gotta figure this out, right?
Bullying ain’t just a school problem; it’s an everywhere problem. A bunch of schools are dealing with this junk every week, and the cyberbullying is no joke either. So, what’re we gonna do about it?
Not all kids show signs they’re getting bullied, but there are some red flags to look out for. If a kid’s got unexplained injuries, losing stuff, feeling sick all the time, or doing bad in school, they might be getting bullied. It’s a big deal ’cause bullying can lead to all sorts of problems like depression, anxiety, and even dropping out of school.
We all gotta step up our game and stop this bullying nonsense. Whether you’re a kid or a grown-up, everyone’s gotta work together to keep the community safe for all our young folks. So, be an upstander, not a bystander, and let’s put an end to bullying once and for all.
