What is bullying?  The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program definition of bullying is: “Bullying is when someone repeatedly and on purpose says or does mean or hurtful things to another person who has a hard time defending himself or herself.”

To simplify, you can think of it in this way:

R=Repeated:              The bullying happens over and over again

I=Intended:                The bullying happens on purpose. It is an intentional aggressive action.

P=Power imbalance: The bullying creates a power imbalance causing one student to feel very small
                                    and  powerless.

 

Bullying is different than conflict. A conflict is a disagreement or antagonism between two or more people. All involved have some responsibility in the encounter. Conflict resolution strategies can be employed to find common ground because both parties have a vested interest in resolving the conflict. Bullying is abuse and needs to be reported as such. Conflict resolution responses should not be used in a bullying situation.   If you or someone you know IS being bullied, inform an adult—teacher, counselor, administrator. You may also report bullying at http://report.sprigeo.com/district/elkhart-community-schools