BULLYING: An Age-Old Problem

Carlo Adrian P. Celis

Schools are established for the holistic development of students in a school climate conducive to learning. As a second home of the students, it is the responsibility of the school to maintain a safe and secure environment free from violence as well as fear of violence. However, schools are challenged with the age-old problem of bullying which is considered to be one of the most common and pervasive forms of school violence.

According to Gordon (2016), there are six (6) types of bullying which are as follows: (1) physical bullying is the most obvious form of bullying. It occurs when kids use physical actions to gain power and control over their targets; (2) Verbal bullying. Perpetrators of verbal bullying use words, statements, and name-calling to gain power and control over a target; (3) Relational aggression is a sneaky and insidious type of bullying that often goes unnoticed by parents and teachers; (4) Cyber bullying. When a teen uses the Internet, a cell phone or other technology to harass, threaten, embarrass or target another person, this is called cyber-bullying; (5) Sexual bullying. It consists of repeated, harmful and humiliating actions that target a person sexually; and (6) Prejudicial bullying is based on prejudices teens have toward people of different races, religions, or sexual orientation.

• Teachers together with the school authorities should work hand-in-hand in order to lessen if not totally eliminate bullying incidents in the school.

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The author is Teacher I at Pampanga High School