Bullying in High Schools

Introduction

Bullying, better known as bullying in the United States, is seen in all degrees, starting from kindergarten up to high school. These acts of school violence include verbal, physical and in extreme cases can be up to homicide or suicide victims. Unfortunately there are several causes that motivate students to commit such acts against their peers. A great example is the different type of clothing that students use, demonstrates not only their economic levels, but also their cultural and racial roots. For these reasons it is essential that the use of school uniforms is implemented in the public schools of the United States. The use of uniforms not only decreases the stereotypes formed by students but also infuses security, equality, respect for authority and discipline in the classroom (Piehl, pp. 89).

Bullying is considered by many to be a rite of passage. In some occasions it is common, such as college fraternity hazing. “Bullying is typically defined as aggressive peer-to-peer behavior in which (1) there is an intention to harm or disturb the victim; (2) the aggression occurs repeatedly over time; and (3) there is an imbalance of power, with a more powerful person or group attacking a less powerful one”. Bullying tends to occur between the 6th grade and 10th grade. What is astonishing is that 75% of children have admitted to being bullying at some point of their lives during the school years. Victims of bullying tend to be quiet, sensitive, withdrawn, have low self-esteem, poor social skills, and feelings of being rejected. The teachers and students interviewed agreed that bullying was a common occurrence at Westside Middle School. “One of Mitchell's teachers knew before the shooting that Mitchell was being picked on but felt that he was overreacting to his classmates' teasing—that he was being too ...