Confronting Bullying at School with Courage and Integrity

The bullying trend is on the rise among America’s top social problems. Although stopbullying.gov reports that 28% of children have been bullied, I believe many children have been bullied, will be bullied, or have witnessed bullying at school. If this is true, each one of us has a role in stopping this trend. Although there are many types of bullying, I will be focusing on the two types: self-esteem/self-worth bullying and ringleader bullying.

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Self-esteem/Self-worth bullying

Common encounters children have are with other students who try to tear others down with words. If your child experiences this, ask them, “Tell me about their home life.” If your child starts listing the multiple hardships in the life of the offender, it may become clear that this student was bullying others for two reasons: first, to build walls and keep those around them out; second, many of these children do not know how to appropriately bring about the attention they are seeking from their peers.

As a Christian parent, I believe that these bullies need prayer and need to be cared for. We need to teach our children how to respond in a way that allows them to stand up for themselves without tearing the other person down. In order to guide our children in this fashion, I recommend role-playing. You can do this at dinner time or in the car. Create some scenarios and help your child come up with responses to different situations. 

For example, have your child practice responding to bullies with, “Nice try, I am a son/daughter of the King Jesus Christ! If you ever want us to be friends, let me know.” Not only will it help your child better know how to respond with integrity, but it may open a door for a new friendship or an opportunity to plant a seed for Jesus.

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What is cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is defined as “sending, posting or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else,” according to Stopbullying.gov. Unfortunately, the number of students who are affected by cyberbullying continues to grow. In an August 2024 report, it was reported that nearly half of U.S. teens have already experienced some sort of cyberbullying. This is a very important aspect of bullying that parents must be aware of, especially in an online school environment.

Generations ago, children could get a small reprieve from bullying in school by going home for the safety of their families. Today, with the use of technology, it is almost impossible to escape bullying.  As Christians, we do not want to see our children and the children of others suffer. 

If any of your students are struggling with bullying at school, please take the time to pray and seek guidance. This problem does not have a one-answer-fits-all solution. Thankfully, there are many different resources available for victims of bullying.

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Would you like to learn how Enlightium can help your student? 

With Enlightium’s online curriculum, your child can disconnect from a non-constructive environment and do schoolwork from a safe place. Enlightium students may work at a pace that fits their learning styles while staying on track to graduate.

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Why Enlightium Academy? 

Enlightium Academy is an approved and accredited private school by Cognia and ACSI that offers online education in grades 3-12 for students studying from their homes and in co-op schools. For primary students in grades PreK-2, we offer a textbook curriculum, counselor guidance, and general support. Our curriculum is Bible-based, flexible, and affordable. 

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Since 2003, Enlightium faculty and staff have served partner schools, online, and homeschool K-12 students. With parental support, excellent instruction, and a personalized approach to learning, Enlightium equips students with the academic, spiritual, physical, social, and emotional skills they need to succeed in life. For any other questions about Enlightium, please call (509) 319-2288 or visit EnlightiumAcademy.com.