Support anti-bullying campaign
As part of Brighton Beach police's back-to-school safety initiative, a campaign was launched to empower parents on understanding and how to deal with school bullying.
THE Brighton Beach police have noted with concern that school bullying remains a prevailing ill within schools countrywide.
As part of their back-to-school safety initiative, a media campaign was launched to empower parents on understanding and how to deal with school bullying.
The spokesperson for the police station, Captain Louise le Roux, urged parents to speak to their children about continuous bullying. She said it is important for adults to remind children that being mean to others is unacceptable.
“Assure them that you will act if they make a report to you. If you suspect your child is being bullied but is reluctant to open up, find opportunities to bring up the issue by asking questions about the mean children in their school or class. Consider asking, ‘What do they do that is mean?‘ or ‘Have they been mean to you?‘,” she said.
Le Roux added that school bullying occurs within the educational environment in places such as the classrooms, hallways, bathrooms, stairwells, locker rooms, playgrounds, tuck shops, sports grounds, swimming pools and places where children assemble. Other places to look out for include the internet, which is termed cyberbullying.
“When bullying occurs outside the school premises or on social media platforms after hours, it is categorised as bullying and not school bullying, unless it can be proven that the transgression is because of an incident that had initiated within the educational environment. Bullying actions include pushing, name-calling, spreading malicious rumours, physical abuse, intimidation, destruction of personal property, swearing, extorting tuck shop or transport monies, to mention but a few.
“One or more perpetrators participate in the act of bullying, who have greater physical or social power than that of the victim or victims within the educational environment,” Le Roux said. She further advised that bullying is not once-off but rather habitual.
The following guidelines were compiled by Le Roux for parents, guardians and or caregivers to consider for their children:
•When your child reports that he or she is being bullied, don’t brush off their cry for help.
•Do not instruct your child to retaliate or ‘man-up’. Two wrongs don’t make a right.
•Act immediately.
•Make notes of what your child reports to you, as the bullying imposed upon may have caused trauma and the child may forget information.
•Also mentor your child to report the truth to you.
•If the child was a victim of a physical assault ensure that you take clear photo images of the injuries sustained, including a full-length photo of the child. Repeat the taking of photos of physical injuries sustained within 24 hours as the bruising may be more prominent.
•If your child complains of pain in the area they were assaulted, source immediate medical attention as often a child may have suffered internal injuries during the assault imposed upon him or her.
•If personal property or even school uniform was damaged during an act of bullying, take photos and keep the damaged property to present as evidence.
•If the bullying had occurred through social media, screenshot the messages as evidence. Print this and ensure that you keep a copy for yourself.
•Have the contact details of the principal, head of grade or the class teacher.
Contact them immediately once you have all the facts from the child and request a meeting the following day. Alternatively, accompany your child to school the next day to make a report.
When meeting with the staff, request that minutes are taken of the consultation session for reference purposes.
“Remember that the school can only act if they have information to deal promptly with the situation. Parents and educational institutes must work in collaboration to prevent school bullying to create safer school space,” Le Roux added.
