90% of Elementary School Kids Are Bullied -?
NJRoadie asked:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20070413/hl_hsn/90ofelementaryschoolkidsarebulliedsurvey
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20070413/hl_hsn/90ofelementaryschoolkidsarebulliedsurvey
So is this the great socialization that homeschoolers are missing out on??
Ian
February 21st, 2010 at 10:31 am
Jacob
but…but…but…if all the 80′s teen movies and those who come here to disparage home schooling are to be believed, bullying is a character building experience which invariably is overcome. it turns scrawny boys into heroes and plain girls into beauty queens.
surely it NEVER leads to tragedies, destroys its victims’ self esteem, interferes with learning, causes further withdrawal in the introspective, or drives anyone to violent retaliation. and it certainly never goes beyond fisticuffs, never anything worse than a blackened eye or bloody nose, right?
(that was sarcasm, for those of you whose sarcasm detectors are on the fritz)
February 22nd, 2010 at 5:42 pm
Jordan
Not to mention drugs and peer pressure.Who needs that !The little troublemakers even have time to down load videos of their friends beating a kid up so they can put it on YouTube or MySpace.That must be what they mean when the experts bring up the issue of socialization. Just another benefit of homeschooling versus a so called quality public school education.
February 25th, 2010 at 7:09 am
Aaron
But don’t you know that kids need to be bullied so they know how to handle it as adults? %-( Biggest piece of hogwash I ever heard about kids. Absolutely ridiculous to think we should all be abused as children so we will know how to handle abuse as adults. Good frickin grief! Anybody who’s studied psychology and abuse will tell you that childhood abuse, even just one incident, can damage a person so that it carries into adulthood. Far better to grow up without abuse and be a strong adult for whom attempts at abuse will simply deflect off than be a child who is trying to deal with it.
Heck, you only need to look at what happened at Columbine and in Taber, Alberta to see how bullying can be so harmful on a child that they completely lose it.
February 27th, 2010 at 3:33 am
Caden
90% are bullied…this means at least 90% of children have gotten their feelings hurt. There is always someone wanting to be the alpha dog. I doubt that 90% of children are bullied to where it is an actual problem. They ARE children, they are fighting for their place in this world.
I do not keep my son home because of bullying issues. Some bullying can be helpful, as in the real world they are going to have to deal with similar head games at some point. Mine stays home because I can provide a better education than the system can.
But I get your point. Whenever I hear the socialization question my response is, You are kidding, right? This is the same child they drool over and wish their child/ren would act like. Not that he is perfect…just nearly
March 1st, 2010 at 1:22 am
Cameron
I’ve loved some of the answers you’ve gotten! I’m afraid I can’t add much to them.
March 3rd, 2010 at 2:05 pm
Destiny
Hey, where are all the critics tonight?
March 4th, 2010 at 12:49 am
Mary
And 6 in 10 are bullies themselves. A great deal of bullying comes from children who are bullied by their parents, siblings or some other relative at home. They have to learn it somewhere. So while it’s not character building and it should not be a part of childhood, it happens. It also happens with adults. What needs to happen is to get to the root cause of it all. Bullying is done because the bully feels powerless. Picking on someone who is weaker gives that person a feeling of power. Until our society as a whole addresses it and admits that it partly comes from home, we will always have the problem. There have been interviews with former bullies who have said as much. There are some examples in the book Odd Girl Out. So, it’s not always a public school problem. It’s a problem everyone needs to address.
March 7th, 2010 at 8:44 am
Nathan
Homeschoolers are more social than those in public school. Their education is gained in the real world versus a governmental-political-correct-time-bomb. The people who scream against home school are jealous because we pull off what they wish they could.
March 8th, 2010 at 1:00 pm
Kayla
Yep! My kids are missing out on it and boy, am I glad!
March 11th, 2010 at 2:08 am
Tyler
I don’t know about that. In reference to the socialization that homeschoolers are missing out on, I have personal statistics that may help you. Out of my child’s twelve really good friends, eleven of them are ones she met in school. Being in the same class(es) tends to bring children closer together, in my opinion, as they have more to share/more in common. I’m not saying that your source is wrong, but, just like Lucas, I believe that 90% of elementary kids are bullied is too large of a number. I also think that children can make friends by getting out there in other ways, and homeschooling your child is a person decision that has pros and cons.
March 11th, 2010 at 7:23 am
Hannah
Well, if you home school your children, yes, they will avoid it. They will have to learn how to deal with bullies as adults instead of children. It’s a sad truth that there is bullying, but if you shield your children from society, how will they deal with it as adults. I’ve seen students come to school after being home schooled and they may have more schooling, but their education is lower. Kids deal with bullying a lot better than adults who have never been bullied. Ask yourself, what”s more important, education or schooling? By the quotations around the word socialization, it sounds like you’ve made your mind up already.
March 12th, 2010 at 8:35 pm
Dominic
Not entirely. The predatory pack behavior of teenage girls is certainly great training for boardroom manipulation, isn’t it?
Anyone doubting the true behavior of children at school (which is anyone saying, well, not my little angel) needs a reality check, but anyone saying the problem is only in public schools needs a reality check, too. Sociology would say problems are possible any time three or more kids get together, regardless of the location.
I’d advise reading Queen Bees Wannabees by Rosalind Wiseman, for more info on social behavior in schools. It’s an unbiased look from an adult’s perspective, and also explains how and why situations occur.
March 15th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Cooper
uhmmm.
sorta kinda.
not that manyyy tho
dats sum rong stats
March 16th, 2010 at 5:53 am
Layla
this is how the schools should be fixed :
1# more smaller schools and class rooms , kids learn better that way and the teacher can police their students better
2# all teachers should have monthly lie detector test because often teachers are as rotten as any bullies
that’s about it !
March 16th, 2010 at 11:45 pm
Richard
Proverbs 22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child;…
Well, of course your going to get a lot of bullying with that many children in one place!
…but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
And no discipline.
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
The Bible never says to give your child over to a public school system that defies God!
About the socialization part…just because homeschoolers home school doesn’t mean that the child stays at home all day every day. Homeschoolers have field trips and there are PLENTY of other activities to get involved in. And so what if they did stay home all day!? It’s better than drugs, drinking, vulgar language etc. etc. etc.
One more thing: Socialization is NOT the same as social skills. Homeschoolers have plenty of both! Homeschoolers tend to have better social skills than their public school counterparts. Check out Patrick Henry College for instance. Most of their students have been homeschooled. They sweep the National Debate Competitions, at least one from the first graduated class landed a full time job in the White House immediately etc.
Yep! We’re sure missing out! (Sarcasm)
March 17th, 2010 at 5:13 pm
Henry
The socialization issue is ridiculous. It’s like the working moms giving the stay at home moms a hard time and vice versa. Just another way to be ugly to each other and judge each other. Not nice.
As long as homeschooled kids are getting a quality education, shut up already. Anyone with half a brain should understand that and then get their noses out of other people business.
March 18th, 2010 at 6:11 am
Xavier
Sounds about right… and don’t forget about the great educational experience they lose out on…. I would say at least 1 out of 4 teachers told us that they have so many students they can’t worry about one Of course, mine being the one….. I had a problem with that. But, don’t get me started on public schools and the lack of education therein…after all, our district supervisor told us at a Board meeting once that there are no surveys that indicate children can learn better in small classes …. so naturally I had to give him some.
As for bullying…I would say that the teacher who puts a child in the hallway for the entire day…because she forgot he was out there…is a bigger bully than any of the kids.
And the principal that makes a child sit in her office everyday until he gives the story SHE says is the right one…Is a bully.
Did you know you can intimidate a child that is almost twice your size by running away after you escape from the headlock he had you in? Just ask our principal….
March 21st, 2010 at 3:40 am
Diego
Bullying is, always has been, and probably always will be part of attending school with your peers. If a child is being bullied for an inordinate length of timie, or being hurt, then home schooling might be the answer, but on the whole, kids need to be with other kids, period, and many parents who take it upon themselves to homeschool are woefully deficient in education themselves so their kids are not only receivng a substandard education, they are missing out on interaction and socialization with their contemporaries. You can’t hide kids from the real world; they will encounter it someday regardless of homeschooling, only if they never go to regular school they will be unprepared for the workplace…can’t shelter them all their lives.
March 22nd, 2010 at 2:20 am
Elizabeth
No 30 % percent get bullied and at most schools that will never happen. If you are home schooled you don’t make as many friends. You don’t get used to the homework you have to do. And your not as serious. Your going to need a lot of skills that you learn in school that you need in life. So if your home schooled you lose a lot of opportunities and your a kids don’t make as many friends. Also if your kid wants to be a lawyer or a stock broker they will need socializing skills with other people and if your home schooled the only people you talk to are your parents and maybe a couple other kids buts that’s it. Life is about competition and if your kids are home schooled they don’t compete with anyone and that will never help them.
March 23rd, 2010 at 12:57 am
Brady
I so don’t get the needing to learn how to be bullied thing! What adults get bullied? That is SO beyond me! I’m pushing 38, and I have never been bullied as an adult, nor do I know anyone who has been bullied as an adult. I realize that there are manipulative adults, but to me that’s a whole other thing that takes maturity more than experience to know how to handle. I guess there’s the potential drunk in a bar situation where you might be facing bodily harm or verbal abuse, but that is an optional situation to be in at any age. I just don’t get it! To my knowledge, adults typically can go to work without worrying about being thrown against a locker. Kids that bully usually mature and learn how to treat other people by adulthood. Those that don’t are called criminals.
March 23rd, 2010 at 6:03 am
Kaylee
i remember being bullied in elementery school!!!!no child should have to go through that!did it make me strong?yes,unfortunately i have to admit!one day i just couldn’t take it anymore,and i beat the crap out of the girl who did it to me!!needless to say,she never touched me again!
they are all cowards..inside!!you just have to summon up the courage to give it to them back!!but why should ANY child have to go through this?shouldn’t these bullies get sent away?cause i don’t care what you say if they are in the same school with nice kids,they are ALWAYS going to pick on the good kids!!
March 23rd, 2010 at 8:47 am
Caden
Did you read the whole article? The criteria used to determine if someone has ever been bullied included teasing, and dirty looks. By that standard, I would imagine the entire world has been bullied at some point. You are certainly free to make your own decisions about your child’s education, but one hysterical headline doesn’t prove all public schools are evil.
March 24th, 2010 at 4:09 pm
Aaliyah
1. its usually not serious
2. yes they probably are
well thats part of life. u might meet a bully where u work.
March 26th, 2010 at 1:43 am
Anna
I get the impression that you assume 90% of students are bullied by 10% of students. The truth is that most children are both bullies and victims. Ask a group of kids if they have been bullied and most kids will say yes. Ask that same group of kids if they have ever been a bully and most will say yes. It is easy for a parent to blame other children for their child’s problems but the idea that getting rid of bullies will make schools better is silly. That would make schools empty.
Think back to your own childhood. Would you be more apt to tell your parents that you were bullied or that you were the bully? When I read a book about bullying to a class most kids understand that they are both bully and victim over the course of day or week.
Parents need to focus on coping skills and resilience. Home schooling is not the issue. Socialization happens everywhere, even at home. The sad truth is that both the constant bully and the constant victim are BOTH in need of help.
Book list:
March 26th, 2010 at 5:19 am
Brandon
Yes. Most of the time. It just depends on were they come from. Ya Know. No home schoolers are not missing out. but they are missing out on the getting to know friends, solving problems, and getting a more clear and better opertunity on learning. Trust me i KNow it.
March 26th, 2010 at 6:24 pm
Aidan
Sorry I think that’s BS. There is no way that 90% of elementary school students are bullied. Of course, in that article there was no clear description of what they consider bullying. Plus the test was only administered to 3 schools and all on the West. This scientific crap bugs me because people like you believe this to be true when in actuality it is really only one person (or group of people) looking to be published and so they throw together a test that they believe will give an actual account of what happens but it technically isn’t. We know that the school does have mixed race but what was their income level? What type of school was it? Why wasn’t that test given in other parts of the country also. Don’t believe everything you read.
March 27th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
Jose
Exactly!!! its a pity the poor public school kids have to deal with that!!
I went to a public school for one year and was scared to death that I would have to go to the hospital for this reason. Now I’m homeschooled and really, you still get a lot of socialization.
Anyways, great question!
March 29th, 2010 at 6:02 am
Sebastian
If you define bullying as some stupid kid teasing you, or other things which you can blow off with a smart remark and some proof of my nerdiness (the fine structure constant), then MAYBE that statistic is legitimate. But if you define bullying as getting beat up after school, then no. Either that, or me and my friends are ALL one of the 1 out of 10 people who wasn’t bullied.
March 30th, 2010 at 1:03 am
Kaitlyn
It must be. I personally don’t remember getting bullied until middle school, but that’s just me. (And my in-laws wonder why I homeschool my children) They can have it!
March 30th, 2010 at 8:14 pm
Ashley
homeschooled kids are smarter, thats a fact, and there are leagues where homeschooled kids can get together and socialise. its not so bad really. i should know, i was homeschooled since 3rd and graduated at 15 yo.
April 2nd, 2010 at 2:30 pm
Luke
I have two children and they are both in the public school system. Neither one has ever been bullied. I guess since you say that 90% of elementary school kids are bullied, mine must be quite fortunate. I’m sorry, I don’t believe in home schooling. Even if my children had been bullied, this would have prepared them for the world we live in. At some point in life, whether you are home schooled or not, you will be faced with a bully. You must be prepared to face such people and stand up to them. What do these children, who are home schooled do when they are faced with a bully when they are adults. Do they run indoors and hide from them. The answer is no, so why not prepare them when they are young and will have the support of others to help them. Come on, we have to face the world at some point. The best why to tackle our fears is to face them!
April 3rd, 2010 at 8:49 pm
Hannah
the big problem with this article and others like it is that it doesn’t define bullying. If they expand bullying to mean anytime someone has said anything negative about the kid EVER, then, yeah there are going to be lots of bullied kids. But, if you specify bullying to mean, say, physical alterations or verbal abuse, that’s a totally different issue
April 6th, 2010 at 1:03 am
Nicole
i very highly doubt that and i definitely don’t support homeschooling unless the child has special needs.
April 7th, 2010 at 4:48 am
Isabella
Wow you really opened a can of worms with this question. Recently a 13 year old boy in out town comitted suicide. He hung himself at the middle school. He said in his suicide note he wanted his bullies to find him there. We need to take a serious look at this problem in our school system. If someone could have intervened his life could have possibly been saved. I don’t think our town will ever get over this.
April 10th, 2010 at 9:26 am
Dominic
yea they r missin out on gettin bullied but also would have any or that many friendz 2 talk 2 wen homeschooled