Overview

Anti-Bulling Campaigns: Are We Limiting Possibilities for Moral and Cognitive Development in Students?

For this project, I would like to take a closer look at the effects of anti-bullying campaigns- particularly anti-cyber bullying campaigns. As numerous 'anti-bullying' projects make their way into schools across the country, I feel that it is important to examine the ways in which these projects may be affecting students in both positive AND negative ways. The positive effects of the campaigns are often the only side we see as movies and news articles hail them as the long awaited solution to bullying problems in schools. However I feel that there may be a double bind to this quick fix tactic of "just say no". Kathy Bickmore's article, "Policies and Programming for Safer Schools: Are Anti Bullying Approaches Impeding Education for Peacebuilding?", outlines some of the ways that administrators may be overstepping with anti-bulling methods. She illuminates how these methods may be problematic at their core, as they create a false reality for students where they are expected "just say no" to disagreements or conflicts with their peers. Bickmore argues that this false sense of reality not only sets students up for failure, but eliminates any possibility for students to develop crucial skills such as conflict resolution, compromise, peace building, and the ability to forgive. These are crucial skills for a student to develop at an early age and are imperative to master in order for students to one day become a positive contributor to the world around them.


Bickmore's argument compels me to further question anti-bullying tactics and examine how anti-cyber bulling approaches may be even more detrimental to students' abilities to grow and develop morally and cognitively. Could it be that administrators are further limiting students abilities to compromise and engage in peaceful resolve with peers by encroaching on their online lives? Studies show that this could be true. In Arlington, TX researchers found that students who participated in anti-bullying campaigns were actually more likely to become victims of bullying as opposed to students who had no bullying intervention. It is hypothesized that this is because students were not able to work through problems online or face to face with bullies, they were simply told to walk away. As the study shows, this tactic actually promotes bullying in schools and leaves some students defenseless against bullies. I feel that there are better approaches to limiting bullying in schools and among children than the "just say no" or "just walk away" tactics. I feel that promoting positive interaction and outlining ways to work through conflicts would both limit bullying and promote socially competent students who are able to resolve conflicts and create resolution in their social interactions. I also believe that it is the responsibility of teachers and administrators to take a step back and allow students to have a space where they are free to explore who they are and how they fit into the world with others away from 'anti-bullying' restrictions.




                

Bickmore, Kathy. "Policies and Programming for Sager Schools: Are Anti Bullying Approaches Impeding Education for Peacebuilding?". Educational Policy. 2011. August 3, 2010.

"Are Anti Bullying Programs Having An Opposite Effect?". CBS- Local DFW. October 8, 2013. http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2013/10/08/are-anti-bullying-programs-having-an-opposite-effect