Protecting targets of bullying
is a responsibility of all educators. In order to protect
potential targets, educators must know the type of students
bullies target. There are a number of things we can look
for.
Most bullies target students who are shy and have no social
support. These types of students cry easily and have no one
to protect them. By targeting these students, the bullies
are almost guaranteed no retaliation. In addition, bullies
like to see their targets get upset and cry. For some reason
the bullies get a thrill out of watching their actions make
another person upset. By targeting students who cry easily,
the bullies' goals are often easily met. Once they find this
easy target, they will continue to bully this child.
Bullies also like to target students who are physically
different. Students who are overweight, underweight, wear
glasses, and are physically unattractive will also be
targets for bullies. These types of students are subjected
to relentless verbal attacks. Inappropriate comments about
their appearance can be made with little chance of getting
caught. This is one reason that verbal bullying is so
popular.
Students who are too smart or not smart enough can also be
bullied. Many times it's not cool to be the smartest kid in
the school. Extremely intelligent students can be made fun
of. Usually, jealousy is the reason for the abuse. The
bullies only wish they could be as smart as the student they
are abusing. At the other extreme, students who struggle
academically are also abused. These students generally are
not very confident because they know that they struggle in
the classroom. Having others remind them daily of their
shortcomings is a difficult thing to deal with.
I have worked in schools whose students do not have a lot of
money. It's sad to see some students wear the same shirt two
or three times a week. Not wearing the "right" type of
clothes is another reason students get bullied. It is sad to
see students get teased because of the clothes they
wear. Students whose parents have money will often ridicule
the other students whose parents are not as well off. I'm a
big proponent of school uniforms. This levels the playing
field and prevents this type of bullying.
Unfortunately, disabled students are often targets for
bullies. Special education students or students with a
speech problem, for example, are easy targets for
bullies. Because of their condition, many of these students
don't understand why they are being teased and
abused. Special care should be given to these students to
make sure they are not being bullied at school.
Victims of bullying need to be protected. Because of their
"differences" they are easy targets for bullies. In order to
protect potential victims of bullying, educators must know
which students are likely to be targets of bullying.
