Teen Research on Bullying and School Conflict

An editorial.

By Lorena Mendez
Grade: Sophomore
School: Marshall High School

Teen Research about School Bullying and Conflict 
By Crystina Rodriguez 

Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF) interns explore ideas and facts on bullying and school conflict.  

Four to five students were grouped together to complete a city search project. The students were provided a packet of materials that included information about two cultural downtown sites they were to visit and were given contact information for a city official who was scheduled to speak with the group.  

On May 8, 2007, my group met with this official, Cherlynn Hoff, a senior inter-group relations specialist at the Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission . We met at the Endowment Center in Los Angeles where she was attending a seminar on bullying. She was able to meet with us during her break, and the meeting was very insightful. Even though I am still in high school, I always thought bullying was only a teenage problem, which is not the case. Bullies vary in age, race, and socioeconomic status. Ms. Hoff talked about her programs, which assist schools in an effort to stop the bullying and help schools deal with conflict by involving students in the solution. These programs help rebuild the confidence of students, which helps them to stand up against bullies. Each year, five schools are chosen to improve their school and the safety level.  

Ms. Hoff then told us about anti-bullying and how it can help not just at our schools but also our communities and surroundings. After her interview and after the day was over, I found more information and statistics about bullying and why we should take actions against bullying.  
· Children who are repeatedly victimized sometimes view suicide as their only escape. 
· Bullying occurs once every seven minutes on U.S. playgrounds. 
· On average, bullying episodes are brief, approximately 37 seconds long.  
· The emotional scars from bullying can last a lifetime. 
(This information was gathered at: www.bullybeware.com/moreinfo.html) 

The benefits of an anti-bullying policy and the benefits for the students are significant. When children know that the school they attend actively works to make a better learning environment and that bullying is not tolerated, they can afford to relax their guard and divert more attention to learning rather than have to worry about staying safe. Students who cannot be categorized as victims or bullies but who witness bullying will feel more comfortable when they know that the school, community, students, staff, and administration stand together against bullying.  

The next time you see someone being bullied, just know that you are capable of steeping forward and saving someone. Don’t let the bad guys win, it’s the good guys that should win and rise above. For more information about bullying, visit the LA County Human Relations Commission website and encourage others to join you in the fight against bullying.

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