CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 07/11/17

Building a culture of "upstanders" critical to combat bullying in schools and online

By Clint Thompson

Today, bullies have many more ways to inflict mental and physical abuse than they did just 10 years ago, said Cheryl Varnadoe, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Development specialist. Fortunately, children being bullied also have more outlets in which to seek help and refuge from the abuse.

Varnadoe advocates stopbulling.gov, a website managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that identifies bullying, those at risk, how to prevent bullying and appropriate responses to a bully.

“Youth need to learn to listen and support their peers and to become ‘upstanders’ rather than bystanders. They need to form a network of trusted peers and adults who they can talk to and go to for support, as well as serve as support for others,” Varnadoe said.

Varnadoe also advises parents to keep the lines of communication open with their children. Potential bullies need to realize when they’ve gone too far, while those being bullied need to be able to convey their feelings to their parents.

“Parents can help just by talking to their children about bullying, encouraging them to do what they love, modeling kindness and respect, and encouraging them to get help when they are involved in bullying or know others who need help,” Varnadoe said.

Varnadoe offers these tips to parents to share with their children:

  • Learn how to handle conflict while treating yourself and the other person with dignity.
  • Take a moment to take a deep breath, then address the bad behavior by trying to find the courage to voice your feelings.
  • Ask for help. It is not a sign of weakness. Reporting bullying is not snitching.
  • Don’t ignore bullying when you see it. Although it is scary to witness bullying in person or online, it is important to speak out. Report it to an ally.

Technological advancements have escalated the bullying problem. As children frequently visit popular social media websites, like Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat, they are more vulnerable to bullies, and in certain circumstances, may not know who their bully is.

“That’s what is scary. Sometimes the ones being bullied don’t know who’s attacking them. Unfortunately, there are many phone and web apps now, like Secret, Whisper and Yik Yak, that can enable the bullying of people anonymously,” Varnadoe said.

More than 160,000 children nationwide miss school every day out of fear of being bullied, according to the National Education Association.

Children bully because they want control over others to make themselves feel better. Some bullies have been victims themselves, Varnedoe said. 

“When you take it away or don’t give into that power, the bully loses their influence or leverage. That is why learning to be an ‘upstander’ is so important,” Varnadoe said.

For more information, contact Varnadoe at 706-542-4H4H or by email at cv4h@uga.edu. 

Clint Thompson is an agriculture writer based in Tifton, Georgia.

Authors:
Clint Thompson
Experts/Sources:
Cheryl R. Varnadoe
More than 160,000 children nationwide miss school every day out of fear of being bullied, according to the National Education Association.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
The holiday season can be a time of anticipation and joy, but balancing multiple commitments and personalities across families and friends can be a source of stress for hosts and visitors alike. Like preparing parts of the meal ahead of time to spend more of the holiday with guests, taking time ahead of the day to set expectations can go a long way to ensuring enjoyable gatherings, said Ted Futris, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension specialist and professor of human development and family science in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. CAES News
Manage holiday stress with kindness, boundaries 11/21/24 Maria M. Lameiras
The holiday season can be a time of anticipation and joy, but balancing multiple commitments and personalities across families and friends can be a source of stress for hosts and visitors alike. Much like preparing parts of the meal ahead of time allows you to spend more of the holiday with guests, setting expectations ahead of the celebration can go a long way to ensuring enjoyable gatherings, said Ted Futris, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension specialist and professor of human development and family science.
UGA Extension offers mindfulness and skills training to help the incarcerated reclaim their hope. CAES News
UGA Extension offers training to help the incarcerated reclaim their hope 09/30/24 Cal Powell
A train rumbles through the heart of downtown Tennille, Georgia. The southbound train cars are loaded with kaolin, the white clay that serves as the city’s main export. Avery Franklin sets his leaf blower on the ground, takes a seat on a park bench under a pecan tree and begins telling his story. He was 19 years old the first time he went to jail. He’s 63 now, released four months ago after a lifetime of petty crime. He’s sitting 3 miles from the Washington County, Georgia, jail cell where he spent most of the last three years of his life.
Radon, an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas, is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., but it can be detected and mitigated with the help of local University of Georgia Cooperative Extension offices across the state. CAES News
UGA sponsoring radon poster contest for Georgia students 09/13/24 Rebecca Cantrell
Radon, an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas, is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., but it can be detected and mitigated with the help of local University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service offices across the state. Radon comes from the breakdown of uranium in granite and rocky soils, so Georgia’s wealth of granite bedrock increases the chance of household radon for its residents.
For some students, heading back to school feels like entering a pressure cooker. Parents can ease anxieties by helping their students develop strategies for handling stressful situations. CAES News
Families should make a plan to manage back-to-school stress 07/29/24 Merritt Melancon
As summer draws to an end, both students and parents need to prepare for the return to school. While a new backpack and a collection of notebooks and pens might top their to-do list, students also need to prepare emotionally, said Diane Bales, a human development specialist for University of Georgia Cooperative Extension and a professor of human development and family science in the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences.
Coastal Acres CAES News
AgrAbility program offers a Georgia farm family a new path forward 07/03/24 Jordan Powers
When a half-ton bale of hay fell off a wagon in 2019, striking the back of Donald Adams’ head, the future of his family farm fell into immediate uncertainty. More than 200 head of cattle are worked on the land at Coastal Acres, a Dearing, Georgia, operation that involves intense manual labor. “Donald sustained a C5-C6 spinal cord injury and was paralyzed from the neck down,” said Laura Adams, Adams’ wife and co-owner of Coastal Acres.
A Master Gardener with UGA Extension teaches a class at the GROWL Fulton County Demonstration and Teaching Garden. (Submitted photo) CAES News
Volunteers uplift statewide UGA Extension outreach programs 04/22/24 Sheri Dorn, Keri Gandy Hobbs
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension depends on thousands of volunteers who give generously to extend program impact and reach in support Extension missions. During Volunteer Appreciation Week April 21-28, UGA Extension celebrates the many volunteers who donate their time to facilitate 4-H, Master Gardener and Family and Consumer Sciences programming. Volunteers across Extension contributed over 324,200 hours in 2023, the equivalent of more than 155 full-time employees.