Children normally do not want to narc on classmates. So when teachers and staff meet with groups of pupils to talk about bullying as part of a new program, it is not to name names. It’s to get the inside scoop on what’s what.


West Branch Middle School Principal Sara Oswald, who spearheaded a new anti-bullying program for the district, said that nobody was surprised when a survey pointed out the school’s bullying hot spots — the playground, locker rooms and lunchroom — places where there is less adult supervision.

But on the survey there was a choice for “other,” and follow-up questions showed them that bullying also goes on at high school football games and in competitive sports teams hosted outside of school.

That’s part of the reason why Oswald called it “fantastic” that area churches, the parks and recreation department and the police department have representatives on the anti-bullying committee that oversees the new Olweus (pronounced Ol-VEY-us) Bullying Prevention Program.

But the program also uses the group meetings to keep staff up-to-date on some non-verbal, lesser-known or new ways to bully.

“There may be some hand gestures we are not aware of,” she said, or obscure insults that were invented during a specific confrontation. “That’s all coming out now. We’re finding out the things that adults were, frankly, ignorant of.”

Often, the school does not have the resources to increase supervision in high-bullying areas, so children are taught what to do when they see another child being bullied.

Telling an adult is one of the rules, but Oswald said staff and the Olweus program know that’s not likely to happen.

“If we tell them what to say and do, they will police themselves,” she said.

The program tries to avoid labeling children as “bullies” and “victims,” she said, but rather tries to show bystanders how to be non-aggressive “defenders.”

“Witnesses are more cognizant of the rules because they are not in the heat of the moment,” she said.

The program includes scripts that children can practice, and the groups talk about how bullying is “not cool.” Oswald notes that the pupils prone to bullying are part of these discussions, so they are hearing the message, even if they don’t know they are bullies.

The Olweus program provides consistent ways for dealing with disrespectful behavior, she said, and teaches children to use the same language.

Oswald said that children often refer to recent bullying events during group meetings and there can be a great temptation to share names.

“If we go back to the snitch thing, it’s not going to work,” she said. However, if a child feels they must tell an adult what happened, that can be done outside of group time.

The school kicked off the new program in August with a community-wide event that included free food and games and a raffle at West Branch High School prior to explaining the program. Later, children were sent home with information about Olweus.

Parents may hear more about bullying because of Olweus, Oswald said, but that only means there is more reporting, not more bullying.

“We’re just bringing it out into the sunshine,” she said.

The four anti-bullying rules:

1. We will not bully others.

2. We will try to help students who are bullied.

3. We will try to include students who are left out.

4. If we know that somebody is being bullied, we will tell an adult at school and an adult at home.

Oswald said the program has a means for parents of bullied children to address the issue with the school.

“But this is not sissifying kids,” she said. “This is not to turn them into tattletales and snitches. Rather, it gives kids the tools for standing up for what’s right.”

Oswald said she was disappointed that a survey showed that only 48 percent of teachers “often” or “almost always” try to intervene.

“This is consistent with national data,” she said.

She hopes that, with training, that will increase.



FYI

Results of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program in other schools:

• A 30- to 70-percent reduction in student reports of being bullied and bullying others.

• Significant reductions in student reports of general anti-social behavior, like thefts, fighting or vandalism

• Significant improvements in classroom order and discipline

• More positive attitude toward school and schoolwork.