Why do bullying, harassment, discrimination and violence happen?
Carers
Q. Why does my child go to other students rather than a teacher to deal with bullying?
A. Students may not know whom to ask, or they may think they will be bullied even more if they tell a teacher, or they may not trust that adults will believe them or be able to help.
As students reach their teenage years, they are more likely to turn to their peers to help them resolve problems without adult help. This can be a good sign, so long as the student feels safe and there is not a big imbalance in power.
Many schools teach conflict resolution strategies. Some of these schools include peer mediation in the training program. This involves a group of respected students who can assist in resolving many kinds of peer conflict. By using this approach, students can learn valuable life skills, and the conflict can be resolved so that it often doesn't happen again.
Q. Why is it important for the school to be teaching our children about power?
A. Power is a part of all forms of bullying, harassment and discrimination. Helping our children understand the role of power, and the different uses of power in relationships and organisations, will assist them to develop better relationships in the rest of their lives. This will benefit them and others now and later.
Q. All this stuff about valuing diversity. How can it really make a difference
to bullying and harassment?
A. Students are often picked on because they seem to be different. The underlying factors are often distrust, fear, misunderstanding or jealousy of others. Schools are teaching the values of caring and respect for difference so that everyone is treated more fairly, and our children can have healthy, positive and successful relationships now and in their adult lives.
Q. Other students harass my son about being gay. He gets really upset about
it because he is not gay.
A. Homophobic harassment and attitudes can upset and affect the whole school community including gay and lesbian students and staff, students of gay and lesbian parents and many other students and school staff. Schools need to respond to homophobic harassment the same way they deal with any other forms of harassment. That is, to ensure that issues of homophobia are being addressed through policy and curriculum.
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