Status Quo

A status quo belief about bullying is that it can be viewed as just a part of the growing up process or a phase that children go through. It is much more of a serious issue than that however. Much more needs to be done to raise awareness about bullying and how to prevent it.

By Marian Wilde , GreatSchools Staff

An eighth-grader approaches a sixth-grader in a crowded girls' locker room. The older girl says to the younger, "Those are some ugly shoes you've got there." Then, in front of everyone, she takes out a permanent marker and slashes Xs on the younger girl's shoes, ruining them. The bystanders stare and shake their heads, but do not intervene or try to discourage the bully.

Unfortunately, this passive response from bystanders is not unusual. In other words, bystanders are living up to their name by standing there and doing nothing - and this is a problem. A number of experts today say that bystanders have the power to drastically reduce bullying at schools. Their research offers tips for parents and schools on how to get bystanders to take a stand.

Bystanders are important because:

Bullying most often takes place in front of peers.
It almost never happens when adults are watching.
Most bystanders want to do something to stop the bully.
Bullies like an audience. If the audience shows disapproval, bullies are discouraged from continuing.
However, bystanders, especially children, need to be empowered to act. The majority of children won't act for a variety of reasons, perhaps because they are afraid, confused or unsure of what to do.

"We're now raising awareness about the group basis of bullying," says Tara Kuther, associate professor of psychology at Western Connecticut State University and an expert on child and adolescent development. "Sometimes when people are in groups they might not do what they would do when they're alone. They might not do what they know they should do."