Bullying prevention efforts commendable

According to the officials of Stopbullying.gov, bullying is unwanted, aggressive behaviour among school-aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behaviour is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumours, attacking someone physically or verbally, and 

excluding someone from a group on purpose.

 

Here in Barbados, Supreme Counselling for Personal Development has been tackling the issue of bullying via its Project Rescue programme for at-risk youth. Further, the charitable 

organisation has extended its reach, via its Olweus Bullying Prevention Programme, which has now been implemented in three secondary schools in Barbados, as well as an 

infant school. The Olweus programme, which seeks to stamp out bullying, has been implemented in more than a dozen countries around the world and in hundreds of schools in the United States, but it has been adapted to suit our local culture, which is a plus.

 

Over the years, bullying prevention efforts have focused mainly on physical abuse of one’s peers, but now we are aware that bullying is expansive and can take other forms. However, we can admit  that bullying, when it takes a physical form, can be quite detrimental to the victims, causing serious injury at times or even death. Sadly, we have seen a number of videos circulating showcasing bullying amongst students, usually at the secondary level, and at times these videos have been shared in jest with the senders not quite appreciating the seriousness of the matter.

 

On the plus side, we have come a long way  in our bullying prevention efforts, thanks to Supreme Counselling for Personal Development and others involved in the anti-bullying fight.

 

Special kudos  must be given to Shawn Clarke, Certified Olweus Bullying Prevention Consultant/Trainer and CEO of Supreme Counselling for Personal Development, for keeping the issue of bullying on the forefront of our minds. He must also be praised for the hard work and creative initiatives undertaken quite successfully in local schools. It is hoped that more schools will come on board, so they too can benefit from some of the initiatives already seen to be reaping success in our schools.

 

On that note, let me say that the issue of conflict resolution comes to the fore, as I find that there are too many videos circulating on social media  showcasing students from secondary schools in some very violent fights. Of late, the girls are the ones engaged in this bad behaviour. We must however send a strong message to our youth on a whole, that handling disputes in a violent, physical manner is not the way to go. 

 

Fighting should be left for cats and dogs. Those with a higher level of intelligence should find other ways and means of settling arguments in a more humane manner, 

in a way that does not throw schools into disrepute. 

 

It’s really a disgrace to see students disrespecting their uniform and by extension their schools, by rolling around on the ground, throwing their fists and feet around 

and even using a few rocks or some other type of weapon, in an effort to destroy their opponents. Often times, these school- based feuds can go on for lengthy periods and can even escalate between schools. 

 

Therefore, we need to see more initiatives to stamp out fighting amongst our schoolchildren.