Why is bullying bad
Bullying behavior impacts the whole-school community. Bullying has detrimental effects on students' health, well being and learning. It can make students feel lonely, unhappy and frightened. It’s not just the students being bullied who are affected. Most students say they don’t like seeing bullying in their school – it makes them feel worried and uncomfortable. Students who bully others are also more likely to have problems and be unhappy.
Being bullied can affect everything about a child: how they see themselves, their friends, school, and their future. Students who are bullied often experience depression, low self-esteem that may last a lifetime, shyness, loneliness, physical illnesses, and threatened or attempted self-harm. Some students miss school, see their marks drop or even leave school altogether because they have been bullied. Verbal and social/relational bullying can be just as harmful as physical bullying.
Students who engage in bullying also risk poor long term outcomes, including leaving school early. Some students engage in bullying for a short time only and then stop either because they realize it’s wrong or they are supported to learn more appropriate behavior. A small group of students continue to bully others over many years. Parents, whānau and schools need to support those who bully others to learn more appropriate ways to get on with others and deal with conflict and social challenges.
