This Week at FBS
Bullying Prevention Month
Knowing What Bullying Is
October is National Bullying Prevention Month, and it’s a good time to talk about not only preventing bullying, but also understanding what bullying really is.
Not every hurtful interaction is bullying. Arguments, rude comments, disagreements, and hurt feelings are often conflict—and learning to work through conflict is an important part of growing up.
Bullying is different. It typically involves three things:
- Intentional behavior meant to hurt, scare, or control.
- An imbalance of power, such as size, popularity, or social influence.
- Repeated behavior or behavior likely to happen again.
Every concern a student brings to us matters, whether it is bullying, conflict, or simply a difficult situation. We will listen, look into concerns, and help students work through them. When bullying occurs, we take it seriously.
Families can help by listening, asking questions about what happened and whether it is a pattern, helping children practice problem-solving skills, and reaching out to the school when concerns arise.
Our goal is to help students become kind, confident young people who treat others well, work through conflict, and stand up for others when they need help. That’s something we can work toward together all year long.
