Beyond 'Zero Tolerance': How Educators are Untrained in Handling Bullying Effectively

 They want it to be better, but do nothing to see results.

Sandy Hook Promise

    In schools across America, bullying is on the rise, and yet no one seems to be doing much about it. The posters are hung up, and the assemblies are held. But when it comes to real action, the silence is deafening. Ginette D. Roberge notes that "defining bullying is complex and multifaceted. There is no scientific or academic consensus, in fact, on a precise definition of bullying," and therefore, confusion begins to arise. If no one can agree on what bullying actually is, how can schools claim their teachers are properly trained to stop it? Despite increased attention to anti-bullying initiatives in recent years, educators still lack the necessary training to develop and apply appropriate disciplinary consequences, emphasizing the need for stronger professional development programs.

    Schools highlight their "Zero Tolerance Policy," but when it's time to actually take a stand, their commitment to this policy fades. Roberge notes, "One of the defining characteristics of zero tolerance is that all students who commit a given offense receive the same treatment, stating that zero tolerance is a set of predescribed consequences and punishments that are required for dealing with all student bullying behaviors in schools." Yet time and time again, when it's time to put a punishment down, they never can. Equal punishments and actions are not delivered because of an unclear policy; if the rules are clearly laid out and penalties are stated, there is no reason why an educator should fail to apply them correctly. This highlights the lack of preparation among educators on how to properly administer a punishment.

    Policies are in place to ensure that punishments are given correctly and fairly, but William Hall notes that "a large, national study of educators found no relationship between having an anti-bullying policy and educators' comfort intervening in bother general and discriminatory bullying." If educators are not comfortable intervening in an issue that is desperate for intervention, how is the problem going to be solved? Are they going to put their feet up on their desks and continue to let it happen, or is the school going to take matters into its own hands and educate instructors on how to handle the situation correctly?

    Many argue the real problem is not with educators at all, but rather with the lack of clarity and consistency in anti-bullying policies. As a result, inconsistent enforcement across schools or districts can make it appear as a training problem when the real issue lies in the policies themselves. While that is true in some cases, when schools are using the same policies but are enforcing them differently, it shows a lack of knowledge on how to utilize those policies. Therefore, further training and education are required so that punishments are developed as needed and to the appropriate extent. 

    

    Another issue that has become more prevalent in the realm of bullying is cyberbullying. As technology continues to expand, so does the way children can bully others. Cyberbullying is a newly emerging issue that instructors need to be educated on because, if not, students suffer the consequences. Susan Sutton writes about "Megan Meier, a 13-year-old who committed suicide after being harassed on the internet, or the beauty pageant winner who had her crown rescinded after pictures of her participating in socially questionable activities appeared on the internet."  When solutions are not put in place and consequences are not given, victims are the ones who have to face the harshest consequences.

    Sutton states that "schools can improve their ability to handle cyberbullying by educating staff members, students, and parents and by implementing rules and procedures for how to handle possible incidents. Having clear rules and expectations, including potential consequences in writing and signed by students and parents, gives schools more options for responding to cyberbullying problems." Once again, it all comes back to educating instructors on what to do when bullying occurs. While it's clearly shown that, to see results, educators need more training. Yet no one takes the time to time to give the training that is obviously needed.

    A major reason why we see a lack of consistency in punishments for bullying is due to an educator’s moral bias. When educators follow their own moral ideas rather than written rules, we see inconsistency among punishments, especially when they are not enforced to the extent that they should be. According to research, Alicia A. Ellis and Rosalyn Shute concluded that "While teachers' moral orientation does impact upon the kinds of responses to bullying they choose, seriousness of the incident is more important. However, seriousness as perceived by teachers may not be consistent with impact on students. Implications for teacher education and policy are discussed." When we allow those who are supposed to be "professional" to let morality dictate punishments, where does that leave us? Who truly benefits when emotions and personal opinions get in the way of making objective, adult decisions? 

    The amount of bullying that goes unpunished not only insults the victims but also highlights our education system's lack of authority over students. We, as a society, have lost our morals; we watch people get walked over, and instead of doing something, we sit there and let it happen. If we properly trained our educators who are supposed to take care of our children, there would be a decrease in the amount of bullying that students face. If educators stopped focusing on moral beliefs and focused more on enforcing rules to ensure fairness, both students and educators would see a much different response to bullying. It’s time for our education system to take action to protect victims of bullying and to ensure that, as a country, we see a meaningful decrease in bullying.