Warning Signs for Bullying

There are many warning signs that may indicate that someone is affected by bullying—either being bullied or bullying others. Recognizing the warning signs is an important first step in taking action against bullying. Not all children who are bullied or are bullying others ask for help.

It is important to talk with children who show signs of being bullied or bullying others. These warning signs can also point to other issues or problems, such as depression or substance abuse. Talking to the child can help identify the root of the problem.

Signs a Child Is Being Bullied

Look for changes in the child. However, be aware that not all children who are bullied exhibit warning signs.

Some signs that may point to a bullying problem are:

• Unexplainable injuries
• Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewelry
• Frequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling sick or faking illness
• Changes in eating habits, like suddenly skipping meals or binge eating. Kids may come home from school hungry because they did not eat lunch.
• Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares
• Declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork, or not wanting to go to school
• Sudden loss of friends or avoidance of social situations
• Feelings of helplessness or decreased self esteem
• Self-destructive behaviors such as running away from home, harming themselves, or talking about suicide

If you know someone in serious distress or danger, don’t ignore the problem. Get help right away.

Signs a Child is Bullying Others

Kids may be bullying others if they:

• Get into physical or verbal fights
• Have friends who bully others
• Are increasingly aggressive
• Get sent to the principal’s office or to detention frequently
• Have unexplained extra money or new belongings
• Blame others for their problems
• Don’t accept responsibility for their actions
• Are competitive and worry about their reputation or popularity

Why don’t kids ask for help?

Statistics from the 2018 Indicators of School Crime and Safety show that only 20% of school bullying incidents were reported. Kids don’t tell adults for many reasons:

• Bullying can make a child feel helpless. Kids may want to handle it on their own to feel in control again. They may fear being seen as weak or a tattletale.
• Kids may fear backlash from the kid who bullied them.
• Bullying can be a humiliating experience. Kids may not want adults to know what is being said about them, whether true or false. They may also fear that adults will judge them or punish them for being weak.
• Kids who are bullied may already feel socially isolated. They may feel like no one cares or could understand.
• Kids may fear being rejected by their peers. Friends can help protect kids from bullying, and kids can fear losing this support.

 

How are bullying and cyberbullying defined in Texas anti-bullying laws and regulations?

Texas anti-bullying laws and regulations include the following definitions of bullying and cyberbullying:

“Bullying”:

1. means a single significant act or a pattern of acts by one or more students directed at another student that exploits an imbalance of power and involves engaging in written or verbal expression, expression through electronic means, or physical conduct that satisfies the applicability requirements provided by Subsection (a-1), and that:
   1. has the effect or will have the effect of physically harming a student, damaging a student’s property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of harm to the student’s person or of damage to the student’s property;
   2. is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive enough that the action or threat creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for a student;
   3. materially and substantially disrupts the educational process or the orderly operation of a classroom or school; or
   4. infringes on the rights of the victim at school; and
2. includes cyberbullying.

“Cyberbullying” means bullying that is done through the use of any electronic communication device, including through the use of a cellular or other type of telephone, a computer, a camera, electronic mail, instant messaging, text messaging, a social media application, an Internet website, or any other Internet-based communication tool.

Tex. Educ. Code § 37.0832 (2017)

Do Texas anti-bullying laws and regulations cover cyberbullying that occurs off-campus?

Yes. Texas anti-bullying laws cover off-campus conduct that occurs off school property or outside of a school-sponsored or school-related activity if the cyberbullying:

1. interferes with a student’s educational opportunities; or
2. substantially disrupts the orderly operation of a classroom, school, or school-sponsored or school-related activity.

What are the policy requirements for schools to prevent and respond to bullying behavior?

Texas school districts are required to adopt a policy concerning bullying. School district policies must contain key policy and procedural elements, including, but not limited to:

• Statements prohibiting bullying and retaliation;
• Procedures for notifying parents or guardians of the alleged victim and the alleged bully;
• Statements regarding actions a student should take to obtain assistance and intervention in response to bullying;
• Statements regarding the available counseling options for a student who is a victim of or a witness to bullying or who engages in bullying;
• Procedures for reporting and investigations;
• Provisions related to disciplining of students with disabilities; and
• Requirements for how the district policy will be publicized within the district.

Minimum standards for a school district’s policy must:

• Include an emphasis on bullying prevention by focusing school climate and building healthy relationships between students and staff;
• Establish a committee to address bullying by focusing on prevention, health and wellness;
• Require student instruction on building relationships and preventing bullying and cyberbullying;
• Include an emphasis on increasing student reporting of bullying incidents; including anonymous reporting
• Require districts to collect student survey data and use the results to develop action plans and address student concerns
• Require districts to develop a method to assess bullying incidents and determine the district’s response to the incident

Do Texas anti-bullying laws and regulations include protections for specific groups?

No. There are no specific groups listed under Texas anti-bullying laws or regulations.

Texas schools that receive federal funding are required by federal law to address discrimination based on certain personal characteristics. Find out when bullying may be a civil rights violation.

Do Texas anti-bullying laws and regulations encourage or require districts to implement bullying prevention programs or strategies?

Yes. Texas anti-bullying laws require school districts to adopt a health curriculum that includes evidence-based practices that will effectively address awareness, prevention, identification, self-defense in response to, and resolution of and intervention in bullying and harassment. Texas anti-bullying laws also require school district policies to include an emphasis on bullying prevention by focusing on school climate and building healthy relationships between students and staff.

Do Texas anti-bullying laws and regulations encourage or require districts to train teachers and other school staff on how to respond to bullying incidents?

Yes. Texas anti-bullying laws require district staff development programs to include training on preventing, identifying, responding to, and reporting incidents.

Do Texas anti-bullying laws and regulations encourage or require districts to provide safeguards or mental health supports for students involved with bullying?

Yes. Texas school district policies must establish the actions a student should take to obtain assistance and intervention in response to bullying and must set out the available counseling options for a student who is a victim of or a witness to bullying or who engages in bullying. Texas anti-bullying laws also allow for a student who is the victim of bullying to be transferred to another classroom or school campus.

Do Texas anti-bullying laws and regulations involve parents in efforts to address bullying behavior?

Yes. Texas school district policies must establish a procedure for providing notice of an incident of bullying to the parents or guardians of the alleged victim and the parents or guardians of the alleged bully within a specified timeframe.