Running head: THE GOLDEN RULE CAN HELP STOP BULLYING

The Golden Rule Can Help Stop Bullying

Audrey Johnson
FDENG 101-03 (Online)
Sister Mackelprang
March 14, 2016

THE GOLDEN RULE CAN HELP STOP BULLYING

The Golden Rule Can Help Stop Bullying

On January 12, 2012 a 15-year-old girl, Amanda Diane Cummings, threw herself in front of a
bus because other kids were tormenting her. While she recovered classmates continued to post
cruel comments on her social media to torment her even further. According to Bullying Suicide
Statistics, Bullying is not considered a serious crime by many. Kids that report incidents are
told to toughen up or fight back (2014). Bullying is a serious event that takes place daily. Yet, it
is not fully understood what it is and what it is doing to friends, family, and children in society.
As bullying is considered a more serious crime, there can be more help provided to those who
are being bullied. Knowing what bullying is will help society teach youth how to treat others in
order to eliminate the tragedies that come from bullying.
What is Bullying?
In order to help those in society hurting and struggling from bullying, it needs to be
understood what bullying truly is. In Bullying; bullying in today's society, an Electronics
Business Journal, Bullying is considered a repeated and intentional act of aggression where one
or more people plan to harm or upset another person physically, verbally, or psychologically
(2012). Bullying has many forms. Teasing can very easily be turned into bullying. Therefore,
sarcasm and teasing needs to be constantly watched to insure that it doesnt lead to full on
bullying. Edelman also informs us that, bullying can also take the form of violence, threats,
name-calling or cyber attacks (2008). Because it has so many different forms it can be hard to
detect. If these actions are taken more seriously then society can effectively help those struggling
with the torment. Tusinski reminds us that in society, bullying is a problem that has often been
dismissed as a relatively harmless interaction and even considered a normal part of growing up
(2008, p. 3). Torment and anguish are not a normal part of growing up. Bully is devastatingly,

THE GOLDEN RULE CAN HELP STOP BULLYING

harmful and should not be brushed aside as innocent teasing (Edelman, 2008). There come a
true and definite difference in teasing and bullying. What drives a person to torment someone
else? To make another's life intolerable, until the bullied, dreading the thought of one more
vicious attack can only wonder: When will it end? Will it ever end? And how will I survive?
(Bullying; bullying in today's society, 2012) Bullying is a learned behavior. Sometimes from the
home, personal experiences of being bullied, or the want to, dominate others and often do it to
feel more important, popular or in control (Edelman, 2008).
What happens to those that are bullied?
Now that bullying is fully understood, the next step is to learn about what happens to
people who are bullied? Bullying causes great torture in peoples lives in many different aspects.
Often, the scars of bullying can last a lifetime (Edelman, 2008). Scars of bullying often include
children getting, depressed, having low self-esteem, and losing interest in school work
(Tusinski, 2008, p. 14-15). In a 2011 CDC youth risk behavior survey it is shown that above all
other symptoms bullying is a leading factor for suicide (Messias, Kindrick, Castro, 2014). In a
world that is hard enough as it is, worrying about being tortured everyday by someone is
defecating. Bullying is a major cause of stress and can leave anyone feeling hurt, angry,
frightened, and even depressed (Bullying; bullying in today's society, 2012). Bullying not only
causes deficits emotionally but physically as well. Victims of bullying are made to feelguilty
that the bullying is somehow their fault. Victims' physical health is likely to suffer, and they are
at a greater risk of developing mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, low selfesteem, adult onset PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and even death (Bullying; bullying in
today's society, 2012). Bullying victims encounter so many different aspects of torture: physical,
emotional, and spiritual.

THE GOLDEN RULE CAN HELP STOP BULLYING

What can teachers do to help those that are getting bullied?

Bullying is an extremely devastating crime to endure. According to a 2005-2006 study of
7,000 sixth-tenth graders done by Greenwald, "36.9% reported [the students] have been victims
of verbal bullying, 32.1% rumor spreading, 25.8% social exclusion, 13.2% physical bullying and
10.1% cyber bullying (2010). So many of the youth in society struggle from many forms of
bullying. So, what will be done to help those youth? In a Journal of Instructional Pedagogies
McCarra recommends seven things in order to help teachers respond to bullying, (a) know the
forms of bullying and recognize the effects, (b) promote a positive classroom environment, (c)
teach a variety of conflict resolution strategies, (d) use bibliotherapy, (e) respond to incidents of
bullying, (f) help students develop new roles, and (g) provide positive role modeling (2013).
Many cases of bullying occur in a school environment. Teachers recognizing and helping those
who are bullied can help some cases of bullying. Not all cases of bullying can be seen and
prevented by teachers. Society needs to do something to prevent it from ever happening instead
of just stopping what is seen.
Teaching Youth Respect Can Solve Bullying
As teachers can not prevent all forms of bullying and all cases, society in whole needs to
take it into their own hands to teach the youth about bullying. The best solution to stop bullying
is to teach youth the correct way to treat others. In a Jewish Chronicle, Frim describes that fully
knowing and understanding what bullying is and what it does to its victims helps the start in
teaching the youth of society, that they must treat and regard others with fundamental respect
(2012). Children learn in their early years to treat others how they want to be treated. But do
children really understand why humans must treat others with respect and help them reach others
to full potentials? It is inevitable that our kids will be tempted to bully others, and that our kids

THE GOLDEN RULE CAN HELP STOP BULLYING

will experience intimidation. As parents, we can help make our children resilient, with a positive
self-image, and provide them with coping strategies. We must ensure that they feel their
obligation is to be respectful and empathetic to others (Frim, 2012). Pain is inevitable. There is
no way to completely stop bullying but there is a way to prevent it and that is by teaching the
youth of society how detrimental it is. Parents, teachers, and ecclesiastical leaders should all take
a stand in teaching the youth. Bullying is a devastating action that occurs often every single day.
All society needs to do is know what bullying is and try to prevent it the best possible by
teaching youth to simply treat others with respect and kindness.
As society learns to see the signs of bullying it can be stopped in the front end. Then
children will avoid the tragedies, scars, and pain that comes from bullying. Knowing what
bullying is will help society teach youth how to treat others in order to eliminate the tragedies
that come from bullying.

THE GOLDEN RULE CAN HELP STOP BULLYING

References
Bullying; bullying in today's society. (2012). Electronics Business Journal, 205. Retrieved from
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Bullying Suicide Statistics. (2014, July 30). Retrieved March 15, 2016, from
http://nobullying.com/bullying-suicide-statistics/
Edelman, M. W. (2008, Jun 03). Schools need to take bullying more seriously. Philadelphia
Tribune Retrieved from
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Frim, E. (2010, Apr 22). Bullying prevention needs schools, pupils, parents. Jewish
Chronicle Retrieved from
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Greenwald, J. (2010). Schools work to reduce liabilities over bullying. Business
Insurance, 44(16), 1-1,20. Retrieved from
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McCarra, J. F., & Forrester, J. (2013). Making a difference for the bullied: Teachers'
responsibilities for responding to bullying. Journal of Instructional Pedagogies,10, 1-6.
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Messias, E., Kindrick, K., & Castro, J. (2014). School bullying, cyberbullying, or both:
Correlates of teen suicidality in the 2011 CDC youth risk behavior survey.
Comprehensive Psychiatry, 55(5), 1063-8.

THE GOLDEN RULE CAN HELP STOP BULLYING

http://dx.doi.org.byui.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2014.02.005
Tusinski, K. E. (2008). The causes and consequences of bullying (Order No. 3340573).
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