I’ve been quite concerned for a while about the labels applied to bullying and harassing conduct, and the potential for dwelling on defining the behaviors to the exclusion of addressing the behaviors.
As I listened in the background to a NBC “Today” show report this morning about fighting among girls, encouraged by peers and, to some extent, the attention of reality TV shows, I noticed that the word “bullying” was never used, and yet isn’t such peer pressure a form of “bullying” students into harmful behaviors?
In addition, state laws and school district efforts often focus on prevention – a worthy goal – but one that may still leave school transportation professionals wondering what to do. Let me urge you to share with your staffs what I think of as the “4 R’s” of action by school transportation professionals, and others in the business of education, when they know about behavior by students that violates student codes of conduct and are likely to cause injury, regardless of label:
- Recognize – that the behavior requires your intervention
- Respond – in reasonable ways, within the scope of your authority, with, at a minimum, words and immediate steps to separate the students, and, as necessary, radio for additional help
- Report – to your supervisors and appropriate school officials
- Reassure – with your actions and your words, let students know this behavior will not be tolerated on your bus.
Peggy Burns is the former in-house general counsel for Adams 12 Five Star Schools in Thornton, Colo., and the owner of Education Compliance Group. She is a regular contributor to School Transportation News.
