Bullying can devastate children, families, and schools. CCA takes bullying seriously because we see the lingering impact on the many students who enroll with us to escape bullying at their former schools. We understand our responsibility to protect students from bullying and help victims heal. CCA’s network of personal, academic, and family resources helps students overcome the aftermath of bullying, while strong procedures build a school culture that respects individuals and stamps out bullying at the first signs.
Signs Your Child Is Experiencing Bullying
Children who are being bullied don’t always ask for help. In fact, one study showedmore than half of students who experience bullying do not report it. Some might feel they need to take control of the situation themselves, or they fear backlash from their bully. Maybe they don’t want to reveal their sense of humiliation, or they already feel socially isolated and believe that no one cares or understands.
That’s why it’s important to watch for the signs of bullying. Not every child will react in the same way, but these warning signs can point to a problem:
- Unexplainable injuries
- Destroyed or lost clothing, jewelry, electronics, or books
- Frequent headaches, stomachaches, or fake illnesses
- Binge eating, skipping meals, or coming home from school hungry because they didn’t eat lunch
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep or having frequent nightmares
- Declining grades, a disinterest in schoolwork, or not wanting to attend school
- Sudden loss of friends or avoidance of social situations
- Feelings of decreased self-esteem or helplessness
- Self-destructive behaviors, such as running away from home, harming themselves, or talking about suicide
Students might also change the way they engage with family, teachers, and peers. They might withdraw from schoolwork, show changes in academics, or lose interest in activities. Adults should be aware, though, that not every child who’s being bullied will display symptoms. The important thing is to watch attentively and get help right awayif you suspect bullying.
The Impact of Bullying in Schools
Bullying is not a “rite of passage.” It is not harmless hazing. Science shows that bullying has very real repercussions for the victim’s physical and mental health, in the immediate and long term. The consequences even ripple to families and schools. They can include:
Emotional and Social Effects
Children targeted by bullies can struggle to make friends and maintain healthy relationships. Their self-esteem plummets when they start to believe the hateful things others say about them. Painful emotions including anger, bitterness, vulnerability, helplessness, and loneliness can prompt them to skip classes and resort to drugs and alcohol to numb the pain. They could become depressed and contemplate suicide. Without effective intervention, these bullied children can grow into adults whose lack of trust impairs their personal and work relationships.
Physical Problems
The bumps and bruises caused by physical bullying are visible, but if a child is being bullied, they can also suffer stress that takes its toll on their health and well-being. They might be sick more often or experience ulcers, headaches, or stomachaches. The effects of bullying can worsen skin conditions and heart conditions.
Academic Struggles
Children who are bullied have difficulty focusing on their schoolwork. As they forget about assignments or struggle to pay attention in class, their grades begin to slip. They might skip school or classes to avoid being bullied. Studies indicate lower standardized test scoresin schools where bullying is endemic. Even students who witness bullying suffer academically, perhaps due to distraction or worry, or because teachers spend less time teaching and more time on classroom management.
Family Impact
Bullying forces its way into the home. Parents may feel powerless and unsure of their parenting abilities. Over time, bullying can affect the whole family as children who are bullied are more likely to withdraw, experience depression, anxiety, and decreased academic achievement. These issues can cause strained family relationships and communication breakdowns, leaving parents and siblings feeling even more helpless.
For all these reasons, swift and comprehensive action is crucial to help victims recover and prevent bullying at school in the first place.
PA State Laws and Policies
Pennsylvania’s anti-bullying law requires that schools create written policies that address bullying and identify the personnel who hear complaints. Cyberharassment of a child can be considered a third-degree misdemeanor. State anti-bullying resources include hotlines, grants, and a bullying prevention toolkit.
However, as experts have pointed out, Pennsylvania’s statutes do not prohibit bullying outright. Although they cover verbal, physical, and written bullying, they don’t address the “relational” sort, such as spreading rumors. School districts are not required to report on the effectiveness of their policies, and they may, but aren’t required to, develop prevention and education programs.
While many school districts fully commit to anti-bullying efforts, Pennsylvania’s patchwork approach leaves children vulnerable simply because of the district where they live. As a cyber school, CCA offers a safe haven for students bullied in these traditional settings. Our school thrives when our students thrive, so we have the tools and the response network to promote recovery, respect, and prevention.
What Cyber Schools Can Do to Prevent Bullying and Cyberbullying
Bullies and cyberbullies are opportunists, doing their harmful deeds when adults are least likely to notice. Their work starts, in person or online, when your child is out of your sight. That’s why more parents are regaining control through online schooling to protect their children from bullying.
Online learning offers an escape from the daily reminders of bullying – those places and people that trigger distress in bullied children. Kids are free from the pressures of conformity and able to surround themselves with social circles of their choosing. Parents report that their cyber students experience less anxiety and stress, and they perform better academically. Some students even report that they’re more likely to participate in online classroom discussions, free from the fear of ridicule by classmates. Cyber schools also empower parents by offering the security of knowing where their children are all day and with whom they’re spending time.
A cyber school committed to stopping bullying, like CCA, has in place carefully constructed policies that address all aspects of bullying. We’ve firmly established reporting and response procedures and we strictly enforce our rules. We ensure you can easily access resources that promote healing. Bullying prevention is important to us,and we’ve instilled a culture of respect in every function of the school, ensuring an atmosphere where bullying doesn’t get in the way of learning and the happiness of children.
Bullying Resources and Finding Safety at CCA
Bullying disrupts a child’s sense of security. CCA’s multilayered approach combines direct assistance, school counseling, and at-home learning to restore children to wellness and foster a safe and respectful learning environment.
CCA Nondiscrimination and Bullying Policies and Procedures
CCA continues to provide a safe haven for children who have experienced bullying. We do not tolerate bullying of any kind from students, school employees, or volunteers with direct contact with students. We’ve adopted this Policy Against Bullying and Harassment of Students to ensure our learners can thrive in a safe and secure environment.
CCA does not permit hazing, bullying, and other student victimization based on perceived or actual characteristics or traits such as race, age, religion, gender, creed, national origin, color, or disability. Our Board of Trustees enforces this policy when students or employees are on jurisdiction property, in school-owned vehicles, engaging in school-related activities or clubs, participating in classes, and away from school grounds or activities if the misconduct directly impacts student welfare.
Any student who violates this policy will receive discipline, including the possibility of suspension or expulsion. Any school employee who violates this policy will also face penalties, including potential termination. Volunteers who violate this policy will receive discipline, which may include exclusion from school activities and grounds.
We encourage our learners and parents to report prohibited or bullying behaviors to the school principal, assistant principal, school counselor, and school president/CEO. Learners can also express their concerns to teachers and school staff, who can notify the necessary administrators. We keep all complaints and concerns confidential and promptly investigate any concerning situation to ensure our learners’ safety. You can always review these policies at your convenience for more information.
Student Assistance Program
At CCA, the Student Assistance Program (SAP) helps remove barriers to learning, including bullying or cyberbullying. The administrators, teachers, counselors, and outside professionals on the SAP team are trained to help students who are experiencing nonacademic barriers to learning, such as bullying.
First, we train teachers, family mentors, and parents themselves in the red flags of bullying behaviors. When someone identifies a child who has been or is being bullied, the SAP swings into action. A certified case manager reaches out to the family to discuss available community resources, such as individual counseling, support groups, and mentor programs. It all depends on the family’s circumstances and needs. The program also develops accommodations and support in the school environment to help students succeed academically.
Just like CCA’s academics, SAP is individualized to the needs of the child, even taking into account practical things like family finances and transportation needs.
School Counseling Support
From a young age, CCA students learn that bullying is not OK. Our guidance lessons for elementary, middle, and high school students teach learners the types of acceptable behavior, what to do if they see bullying or are bullied, and whom to approach for help.
Parents can be confident that anything they share with CCA about what happened to their child will prompt action. The more we know, the more effective we can be at finding appropriate and effective support.
Access to Learning at Home
CCA partners with the entire family to develop a customized plan to help your child succeed. As your family leaves behind the pain of bullying, you can be sure that learning opportunities will keep pace with your child’s needs.
At CCA, we believe this is how school should work:
- Customized learning: Your child is no longer sitting in a classroom, being taught the same things at the same pace as the other students. CCA teachers provide extra support or advanced learning, subject by subject, and tailored to your student’s interests and skills.
- Comprehensive education: Your child isn’t merely sitting at the computer all day. CCA delivers highly interactive live lessons, recorded lessons that accommodate the student’s and family’s schedules, workbook projects, career-readiness education and experiences, and a full array of specialized education. It all comes with hands-on learning and lots of fun field trips and activities.
- Parental involvement: With CCA, parents no longer have to worry about what their child is doing and learning at any hour of the day. Parents and other trusted, designated adults are caretakers and learning coaches, responsible for guiding children through the online learning experience.
- Grade-level growth: At each stage of schooling, CCA works with families to help students develop age-appropriate skills, learn independence and responsibility, and achieve educational goals.
How to Protect Students From Bullying (Resources) — Prevention Tips and Guidance
We understand you want to protect your child and deliver meaningful, positive experiences. There are many things you can do to help protect your child from bullying. Check out these resources and prevention tips:
- Help your child understand bullying, so they know when to ask for help and stand up for themselves or others.
- Encourage your children to speak with trusted adults when they experience or witness someone else experiencing a bully.
- Discuss safety strategies, such as staying with friends or near trusted adults.
- Keep your communication lines open so your child knows they can come to you with their problems.
- Read newsletters, attend school events, check the school website, and share your phone number with other parents to stay up-to-date on your student’s life.
- Encourage your child to participate in events, clubs, and hobbies they love to build strong relationships with those who share their interests and build confidence.
- Explain the impact of laughing at mean remarks, spreading rumors, or otherwise adding to bullying to your child and encourage them to discourage others from doing the same.
- Encourage your child to be kind and make friends with everyone, especially those facing bullies.
On top of the tips we’ve mentioned, you can keep some resources in your arsenal. These resources provide an accessible way for parents and educators to get the help they need quickly to stop bullying and ensure those involved handle the situation appropriately. Here, you’ll find links to organizations, businesses, and groups dedicated to helping students and families who experience bullying.
CCA Values Student Safety, Support, and Success
A good school educates the whole child. Grades are only one part of the picture. CCA’s flexible schedule and the assurance of a safe learning environment combine to promise children the security to be themselves and learn to their full potential.
At CCA, students are free from the specter of bullying and parents can actively have a hand in bullying and cyberbullying prevention. We help you get started with the right technology, and we provide support at every step of the way. Learn more about how your child can benefit from cyber learning by reaching out to CCA today!
