Bullying in school has always been an issue, but it’s not the same as it once was. If you’re a parent who has children in school now, you may have grown up in the 1980s or 1990s. The bullying that you saw or experienced back then could still happen today, but there have been many changes.
For one thing, with the rise of the Internet, the smartphone and other types of technology over the decades, a lot of bullying now happens online. For instance, some studies report that 59% of students claim they have faced online bullying. This could be done on social media sites, through text messages, and even on school-related websites. This is a type of bullying that simply was not possible for previous generations, and children today are concerned that those in authority aren’t doing enough to seriously put an end to it.
Is it still connected to school?
One thing that has changed is that online bullying can happen at almost any time. It doesn’t just take place in school. A student could come home and experience bullying on social media that evening. In the past, children who faced bullying at least got a reprieve when they went home from school at the end of the day. In 2024, that may not give them any break if they are online.
But the experience is still connected to school. The online bullying likely comes from their peers or classmates. The comments made online may be a continuation of bullying that happens in person, during the school day. There are many ways in which this bullying intersects with traditional schoolyard bullying.
As a parent whose child is going through this, be sure you know exactly what legal steps you can take.