School Officials Should Take Bullying Seriously, Advises Psychology Professor Paula Hartman Cohen NEWS OFFICE STAFF April 28, 2000 Psychology professor Ervin Staub urges school administrators and teachers to take bullying seriously, saying that unless young children are stopped from bullying, they are likely to grow more violent as they get older. On the first anniversary of the Littleton, Colo., school shootings, Staub, a researcher and writer on violence issues, says schools everywhere can play a pivotal role at every level in the reduction of violence among children. "When a young child bullies or does mean things to others and no one stops it, the bully is likely to get more and more violent over time," he explains. "The victim might be damaged psychologically, even by an act that isn't physically aggressive, such as name-calling or exclusion. From every perspective, it's important to control victimization, harassment, and intimidation, whatever the intensity. There are very real consequences to both being victimized and doing the victimization." Staub says, "Studies tell us that many young boys who are aggressive or overtly violent often feel vulnerable themselves. They may see the people around them as hostile or dangerous. When they strike out, they often believe they are defending themselves." Others learn to use aggression as a way to satisfy needs they don't know how to satisfy in other ways, he says. Staub believes schools need, first of all, to create positive climates for all students. Secondly, teachers can shape the curriculum to help prevent bullying from escalating to full-blown dangerous acts. "Within a caring and supportive environment, teachers can engage the hearts and minds of children through normal academic experiences -- such as reading, writing, and discussion -- that will help students learn from difficult and painful experiences. They can read stories that can spark valuable discussion relevant to a child's own experience. Or, they can lead role-playing or other projects that will help children learn how to handle important everyday situations. Kids need to learn the difference between constructive and destructive ways to find the security they need, to learn how to connect to others, and to establish their individual identities," he says. Staub cautions that schools should not ignore the role of the passive bystander in violent situations. "When other kids, or even adults, are passive, it encourages the harassers and tells the person being picked-on that it doesn't matter, and that they don't matter," says Staub. "Schools need to teach children, and even adults, how to be constructive bystanders. People who know how and when to intercede can make a real difference in creating a climate in a school where all children feel secure."