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Hello to our DC Bullying Prevention points of contact: I hope you had a restful holiday season and a happy new year! As we continue through the second half of the school year, I want to revisit some of the services I can provide you to assist with bullying prevention.
As a reminder, we are offering in-person Bullying Prevention and Intervention Training. Per request, the OHR Bullying Prevention Team will walk your school staff through the Bullying Prevention and Intervention in DC Educational Institutions: Training Toolkit. This training includes information on the Youth Bullying Prevention Act’s (YBPA) policy requirements, the District’s definition of bullying, guidance on identifying acts of bullying, and the YBPA’s reporting requirements and appeals procedures. All District schools are welcome to schedule a training, including charter schools. Please email me at ernest.shepard@dc.gov for more details and to schedule a training.
Based on discussions I’ve had over the last several months, I want to disseminate some resources on the ties between bullying and in-school gang violence and gun violence. I also want to provide strategies to prevent bullying of students with disabilities.
Across the United States there has been a concerning number of recent acts of gun violence that have impacted our youth. I want to share tools and resources to create a safer environment for both students and staff. Taking action to prevent bullying is an important step to reduce violence and harmful acts between students in your school community. Below are several trusted resources.
The Relationship Between Bullying and Other Forms of Youth Violence and Substance Abuse: This webinar from the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments reviews research that links bullying involvement with other forms of youth violence and substance abuse. Presenters describe types of data that school districts can collect that may be predictive of violent incidents in schools. Presenters also summarize research-based strategies to address the interrelated concerns of bullying and youth violence.
Violence in Schools Seems to Be Increasing. Why?: This article from Education Week describes data trends on school violence, especially on gun violence. It also discusses several ongoing approaches in response to in-school violence in several different districts.
A Longitudinal Study of Gun Violence Attitudes: Role of Childhood Aggression and Exposure to Violence, and Early Adolescent Bullying Perpetration and Victimization: This research article discusses the relationship between early childhood physical aggression and exposure to violence, and bullying victimization/perpetration and attitudes toward guns and violence in early adolescence.
Bullying and Youth with Disabilities and Special Health Needs: This resource from StopBullying.gov discusses opportunities to create a safe environment for youth with special needs, federal civil rights laws regarding youth with disabilities, and bullying prevention strategies for children with special needs.
Disability: Bullying and Harassment: This resource from the U.S. Department of Education provides guidance on how schools must address bullying and harassment based on students’ disabilities under Section 504 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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