Consequences & Solutions for Violence in Elementary School

Violence in elementary schools is an unfortunate reality in the United States and throughout the world. Violence in elementary schools ranges from bullying and physical threats to more serious and deadly situations, such as students opening fire in a classroom. In recent years, school and community leaders have begun to more aggressively challenge violence and bullying in schools by educating students and parents about school violence and methods to reduce this serious problem.

1. Consequence: Impaired Learning

Violence in elementary schools interferes with the learning process. In short, violent acts on campus traumatize students, even if students are not direct victims of violence or bullying. Incidents cause students to fear and dread the learning environment, and their anxiety impacts their ability to focus and learn in the classroom. According to a study conducted at Davidson College, school violence directly impacts academic performance. This study tested the effect of criminal and violent acts on students in a North Carolina public school and found that violent incidents are directly correlated to lower academic achievement in both reading and math.

Consequence: Future Crime

According to The National Center for Children Exposed to Violence, school violence has immediate and long-term consequences. School violence negatively impacts students' social and emotional well-being and can interfere with their motivation to learn, but it also leads to future incidents of violence. Children who bully classmates, whether violently or verbally, are more likely to commit crimes as adults. Therefore, schools that fail to address bullying and violence contribute to the detriment of society and render communities less safe.

Solution: Collaboration
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School violence should be challenged collaboratively. To reduce violence in schools, students, parents, teachers, administrators, school psychologists, law enforcement officers and other members of the community must work together. The public community has a duty to provide students with a safe learning environment, and it is only by collaborating that the problem of school violence can be challenged. Specifically, parents, school and community members need to stay informed and educated about bullying and violence. Also, law enforcement officers have to cooperate with schools to punish violent students so that violent acts are not repeated. Parents,

teachers, students and community members also have a duty to report unusual behavior in children or suspicions that a child is the victim of violence or at risk for violent behavior.

Solution: Education
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To end violence in elementary schools, it is essential that students, teachers and parents learn to recognize the early warning signs of violent behavior. Elementary students need to be taught what behaviors to report. For example, if a student on the bus is making violent threats to other students, then this behavior must be reported to a school authority. Often, young students are reluctant to report threats of violence out of fear for their own safety or because they do not want to be perceived negatively by peers as tattle-tails. Therefore, parents and teachers need to reiterate the importance of alerting adults. Also, students need to know how to respond to emergency situations, such as a student bringing a gun to school. Parents may avoid talking to their children about what to do in the case of a crisis or emergency because they do not want to scare them, but parents need to prepare students for this possibility. Also, the school should develop an emergency response plan and educate students about this plan, conducting response drills if necessary.

BULLY Bullying is a deliberate form of intimidation using negative actions such as name-calling, hitting, punching or social barring. According to the National Center for Education Statistics' Indicators of School Crime and Safety 2010, bullying activities were as common as daily or weekly happenings in 25 percent of public schools during 2007-08. 15-25 percent of students in America experience bullying at varying frequencies. Bullies repetitively target those that are weaker than them either physically or emotionally. It is important that you make your school safer for your students by preventing bullying. Bullying has become a serious problem in many schools, and it can have serious effects on those being bullied. Parents, teachers and other school staff members should communicate openly to address these effects as early as possible.

Instructions
1. Create strict school policies against bullying. Consult other schools for their anti-bullying policies. Involve teachers and parents as well administrative and other non-teaching staff in these efforts. Set simple and clear rules that explain to students the behaviors that constitute bullying and the consequences of

engaging in these behaviors. Consider including anti-bullying messages and slogans in your classroom and hallway decor.
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2 Form a committee of parents and school representatives to monitor and prevent bullying on a continuous basis. Consider including an administrator, an elementary class teacher, a non-teaching faculty member and a school counselor in the committee. for Public Health Leaders: Online Doctoral Programs in Public Health!

3 Intervene immediately upon noticing or suspecting bullying behavior. Stand in between the child that is being bullied and the bully or bullies, preferably blocking the eye contact between them. This action helps the bullied child regain his self-control. Explain to the bullies in a firm, no-nonsense voice that their behavior is against school rules and unacceptable, for example, you could say, "Your calling him names is bullying and totally unacceptable in our school. I won't allow it." Do not ask any questions about the incident then and there. Talk to the bullied child as well as the bully separately in private later. Implement appropriate consequences as according to your school policies immediately if bullying has indeed occurred. Inform the bullies that they and their friends would be continuously monitored for their behavior thereafter. Increase supervision to make sure that the bully does not repeat his behavior. Notify your colleagues and the bully-prevention committee. Notify parents of children if required by school policies.

1. owered Self-Esteem
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Children targeted by bullies often suffer from lowered self-esteem. They may believe the bully's insults and feel humiliated by the bullying itself.

Depression and Anxiety

When children suffer from bullying, they may experience depression and anxiety. They may also experience post-traumatic stress disorder

Retaliation

Children who suffer from bullying may lash out at the bully, or at others, to retaliate. They may begin their own pattern of angry or violent behavior as a result of the bullying.

Academic Achievement
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Students who become the targets of bullies may have trouble concentrating on their studies both in and out of the school setting. Low self-esteem from bullying may also cause them to use much less of their potential than they would otherwise. Children who suffer from bullying may skip school often or even drop out.

Suicide
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When children become traumatized from bullying, they may even commit suicide. Students who have been bullied should receive counseling to work through the emotional issues they are experiencing.

Recognizing the Effects of Bullying

Parents, teachers and other school staff members should pay close attention to children's behavior and encourage children to come to them with any concerns. The resources below provide information on the signs of bullying and how to address this serious problem.