Finding Unconventional Ways to Address Bullying

The topic of bullying has been addressed multiple times on Chief’s Corner, and will continue to be a topic of discussion until bullying ends. Until that day, I’ll work to find opportunities to speak out about this important issue.

One recent opportunity occurred on Oct. 21. The BSA had the chance to share thoughts on bullying during the #NoBullying2015 Twitter Talk. The talk — hosted by Mom.me, an online source for moms at every life stage, from pregnancy to empty nest, and PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center — focused on bullying prevention. Similar to Mom.me’s #BuildingConfidence Twitter talk, the BSA had an opportunity to hear and engage with amazing organizations and parents who all shared their thoughts on bullying. Today, I’d like to highlight a couple of important findings that caught my eye during the talk.

The first was a tweet from PBS Kids. The handle shared that 22 percent of students report being bullied during the school year. While this statistic does not seem high, I think it shows that we have work to do in order to end bullying among youth. With the tweet, PBS Kids also shared 10 tips on how to help your child be there for kids being bullied. I’d have to agree with PBS Kids that if we teach our youth to respect themselves and others, we can win the battle against bullying.

Another strong tweet I caught on my stream of the talk was from PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center. The group shared an interesting viewpoint on how bullies can be stopped, saying nearly 60 percent of bullying situations end when a peer intervenes. I found this fact particularly interesting because it’s a lesson we teach through the BSA. We teach our Scouts the importance of helping other people at all times and to live the principles outlined in the Scout Law, but let’s empower all youth to stand up for those who are being bullied.

Once the talk concluded, I was left with a deep appreciation for being able to hear from others about ways to end bullying.

What are you doing to prevent bullying in your area? I look forward to reading your thoughts in the comments below.

Mike