Most kids who are bullied have some sort of physical shortcoming or unusual appearance.
Boys who bully do so in a physical way. Girls bully by starting rumors or through other devious acts. One reason is that girls’ frontal lobes develop faster, equipping them to think of ways to hurt others emotionally.
Kids who bully do so because it gives them power and, in some circles, social status. They are often bullied themselves by a parent, step-parent, foster parent, or older sibling.
Student leaders and popular kids can reduce or end bullying by telling the ringleaders to back off. They often don’t out of fear that their own social status will be at risk.
Getting students to be aware of the problems with bullying has some impact initially, but as anti-bullying programs continue, kids find them trite and routine. It has to do with the small universe of thought that they live in, which adults have trouble influencing.
There are many facets to these statements, which summarize a conversation I had today with Bob Patterson, a former training director for Discovery Communications who has spent decades working with teenagers and their issues.
