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Bullying in Ohio
By Melissa Martin
Child Therapist
How do agencies and organizations in Ohio prevent and intervene with
bullying? Do they help or hinder? What is the bullying policy at your
child’s school?
What is a definition of bullying? “Bullying is unwanted, aggressive
behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived
power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be
repeated, over time,” according to www.stopbullying.gov.
Governor John Kasich signed the Jessica Logan Act into law in 2012.
Logan, a Cincinnati teen, committed suicide after a sext (nude picture)
sent to her boyfriend went viral at school and resulted in bullying.
House Bill 116 requires school districts to establish cyberbullying
policies, to annually teach teachers and inform parents about bullying
policies, and requires schools to teach students about the policies if
state or federal funding is provided for that purpose.
A 2005 study by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network found
that nearly half of Ohio students considered bullying in general to be
a serious problem in their schools. Visit
stateimpact.npr.org/ohio/tag/bullying/. How does your child’s school
prevent and intervene when gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered
(GLBT) students are bullied?
Bullying Resources in Ohio
Peruse the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) for information about
bullying prevention and intervention in Ohio public schools. Visit
www.ode.state.oh.us and use the keyword search ‘Bullying Policy’. Look
for Ohio’s Anti-Harassment, Intimidation, Bullying Model Policy
Overview. Visit www.bullyingeducation.org.
Risk factors for bullying at school are listed on the ODE website and
include: unsupervised interaction between different grade levels during
breaks; indifferent or accepting teacher attitudes toward bullying;
indifferent or accepting student attitudes toward bullying; and
presence of aggressive students in same or slightly higher grade.
See the Ohio Revised Code at www.codes.ohio.gov/orc/3313.667.
Information about the district bullying prevention initiatives; model
harassment prevention policy; and district policy prohibiting
harassment, intimidation, or bullying is reported. Harassment,
intimidation, or bullying means either of the following: any
intentional written, verbal, electronic, or physical act that a student
has exhibited toward another particular student more than once and the
behavior both causes mental or physical harm to the other student and
is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive that it creates an
intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for the
other student.
According to the Ohio Legal Services website, the Ohio Revised Code,
section 3313.666 reports “The law requires all school districts to
establish a policy prohibiting harassment, intimidation, or
bullying. The policy must be developed in consultation with
parents, students, school employees, and community members.” Visit
www.ohiolegalservices.org.
The Ohio School Boards website has an interesting article on school
bullying. Visit www.ohioschoolboards.org/challenging-bullying-5. Steele
High School students in Ohio created a video on bullying and you can
watch it at www.youtube.com.
The documentary film BULLY, was filmed over the course of the 2009/2010
school year and depicts how bullying affected five kids and their
families and “It captures a growing movement among parents and youths
to change how bullying is handled in schools, in communities and in
society as a whole.” A trailer preview is provided at
www.thebullyproject.com.
The Ohio School Resource Officers Association (OSROA) is a
not-for-profit organization that supports school-based law enforcement
(and other members) focused on a safe school learning environment.
Visit www.osroa.org.
According to the Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI),
bullying impacts 60% of individuals with disabilities. OCALI lists
websites with information, training, programs, and resources about
anti-bullying. Visit www.ocali.org
The Up Side of Downs website exists to provide support, education and
advocacy for people with Down syndrome throughout Northeast Ohio.
Resource websites are listed to help stop bullying against children
with disabilities. Visit www.theupsideofdowns.org/education/bullying.
Please seek help from a child therapist if your child is a victim of
bullying and shows signs of depression or anxiety. Ask your
pediatrician for a referral. Talk with the school counselor, principal,
and teachers.
Dr. Missy, Ph.D., is a feelings helper, child therapist, play
therapist, and child trauma therapist. She provides therapeutic
services at Affirmations, Columbus, Ohio.
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