You can actually learn a lot from a bully. The next time you see a bully, think about who is the one who needs to learn self control, who is insecure, who needs attention, who can't deal with their own problems, who has low self esteem, and who really is the loser. We understand that bullying becomes subtle from time to time; therefore, we must adopt ways to help all of our students at Piedmont stop bullying in its tracks. Here are some research based methods to help stop a bully in his/her tracks:

Ways To Stop Bullying: (Victims)
" Tell your parents you are being bullied. " Tell school staff you are being bullied. " Do not provoke a bully into targeting you. " Tell the bully to stop. " Ask a friend to get a teacher or another staff member. " Avoid unsafe situations like going into unsupervised (hallways, bathrooms, classrooms) areas especially when you know a bully is already in that area. " Ask for mediation so you can confront the bully and tell him/her how their behavior makes you feel and what you specifically want them to stop doing. " Most importantly, NEVER keep bullying a secret!

Ways To Stop Bullying: (Bystanders)
" Never encourage a bully by laughing at his/her behavior. " Never stand lookout for a bully while they are harming someone. " Never set someone up to be bullied. " Understand that when you see someone being bullied it affects you even though it may seem like it doesn't. " Realize you have a responsibility to let school staff know if someone is being bullied. Today, they are the target but tomorrow it could be you. " If it is safe to do so, tell the bully to stop and suggest they speak with a staff member if they are angry or frustrated. " Learn safe and appropriate ways to confront your peers. " Tell your parents about bullying problems at your school. " Make a commitment to do what you can to keep your school safe. " Ask to mediate with peers and give them appropriate feedback about their behavior. " NEVER keep bullying a secret! " Be a Good Samaritan!

Ways To Stop Bullying: (Bullies)
" Just don't do it. Don't bully your peers. " Accept responsibility for your behavior if you bully others. " Don't confuse fear with respect. A person who is feared only has power and influence as long as they are able to make others afraid. A person who is respected has power and influence without needing to be feared. Bullies are feared, not respected. " Don't fool yourself into thinking you are playing, being funny, acting cool or being tough when you are hurting other people. " Don't fool yourself into believing that bullying is no big deal. Bullying hurts people and in some cases ruins lives. " Don't allow yourself to be provoked into bullying your peers. " Don't trick yourself into thinking that because a peer has provoked you it is okay to bully them. Bullying is NEVER justified! " Don't allow peers to set you up to bully other people. " Let staff know there is a problem if you are feeling provoked or set-up to bully someone. " If you are angry or frustrated use words to tell the person how you are feeling. " Learn to manage your anger and frustration and ask for help if you need it. " Ask staff for assistance if you are having problems with a peer. " Ask to mediate with peers you may want to bully. " Learn how to feel good about yourself, to feel safe, to gain social status, to feel empowered and to feel a sense of control without causing harm to others. Ask your parents and school staff to help you learn how to do this. " Talk to your parents about problems you are having at school.

North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Center for the Prevention of School Violence. (2001)
"Stats 2001: Selected School Violence Research Findings from 2001 Sources."
Josephson Institute of Ethics, 2001.