Reporting Bullying

This is the hardest question to ask yourself. But is the situation truly considered "bullying"?

Sometimes, simple “peer conflict” is confused for bullying, and it’s important for parents to discern the difference.

A good rule of thumb is to evaluate who has the power in the situation. If there’s equal power in the relationship, it’s considered “peer conflict,” which is similar to what adults deal with in the workplace or in families.

If there is an imbalance of power, though, it could be “bullying.” If you’re in doubt, find out more about the difference between conflict and bullying.

Before reporting the situation, talk with your child about tips to resolve the situation themselves. If the bullying student does not stop, it is time to report the situation to any trusted adult at their school.

Sometimes, cyberbullying is the worst type of bullying to experience, the hardest to report, and the hardest to stop, since teens are constantly interacting with social media.

Oftentimes, though, the impacts of cyberbullying will overflow into school and should be addressed when possible.

It's a bit tricky to report cyberbullying, though, especially if students are being bullied through private messaging apps.

If possible, take screenshots or print electronic or digital messages to share with the school when reporting the situation. On applications like Snapchat, the bully will get notified if you take a screenshot of the conversation, so keep that in mind. One solution is to have somebody else take a photo of the Snapchat conversation, using that photo alongside any other screenshots when making a report. 

Take screenshots or print electronic or digital messages to share with the school when reporting the situation.

Cyberbullying is often harder for parents to address with their child, especially if parents aren’t familiar with the social media landscape. Parents are encouraged to follow these tips about cyberbullying in addition to reporting the incident.

If you want to report an instance of bullying, tell a school counselor.

Not only will they be able to help emotionally support the child being bullied in a safe and confidential environment, but they could suggest solutions that would solve the problem, using the techniques of the No Bully Program. It is up to the student and his or her parent whether or not to use the No Bully Program’s set of solutions.

If the student is willing to have a conversation about the bullying situation, they can meet with their school’s No Bully Implementation Coach. Each District 60 school has a bully prevention specialist trained in how to address instances of bullying.

Each school has regular student “Panel of Peers” about the subject of bullying and techniques to address it in a safe, indirect and confidential way. Learn more about the “Panel of Peers” approach to bully prevention and intervention.

Contact the District 60 Bullying Prevention and Education specialist at (719) 549-7163.