Many people have thought over the years that bullying is less of a problem for students who attend private schools. This led many families to opt for private school education in New York. The truth is more complicated than many people think, however.
Private schools deal with bullying differently
Though there are different types of private schools (such as religious and those that are built on specific educational styles and philosophies), there are many across these categories that work to curb bullying in similar ways.
For instance, private schools are more particular and have more of a deliberate process in choosing who can attend their institutions. They also have stricter policies and may altogether remove students with aggressive and violent behaviors. They may also have a shorter expulsion process.
Private schools also have a lower ratio of students to teachers. This means that adults can give more attention to students and discuss problems before they become out of control. Counselors also are likely able to devote more time to each student.
No significant differences between public and private school bullying
There hasn’t been a great deal of research done in this area, yet it appears that there isn’t much of a difference in the number of problematic behaviors that include bullying between public and private schools. There was a drop in bullying when schools went virtual during the pandemic, yet there still was plenty of cyberbullying that was going on at this time.
About one in five students between the ages of 12 through 18 reports school bullying in U.S. schools in data that was released to the National Center for Education Statistics in 2019.
A new era for bullying prevention
The fact that bullying has become a widespread issue in schools is disheartening. The only answer is for the school administration to take these acts seriously and not let them slide. It’s important to advocate for your child – speak up to whoever’s in charge in the school setting and your local Board of Education to help make a positive impact.