Bullying remains an issue for most kids

Though schools have made attempts to reduce it, bullying is still an ongoing issue in most schools. According to nobullying.com “83 percent of girls, and 79 percent of boys report being bullied either in school or online.”

Students may try to make another student feel like he or she doesn’t belong and verbally or physically hurt that person. There are three different types of bullying: physical, verbal, and social. There can be school bullies, cyber bullies, and workplace bullies.

According to education.com, “students who are bullied often have a history of insecure attachment, trouble separating from their parents, and a fear of exploring their surroundings.”

Many of the students that are bullied do not tell an adult about their situation because they are afraid that their bully will hurt them. The amount of power that students have may also encourage the students to bully others.

Milford High School Social Worker Karen Kerr explains how she helps students in Milford High School with support groups.

“We’ve done programs for staff and students to promote care in the community,” said Kerr.

Bullying is decreasing in the school, but the cyber bullying aspect of it is still on the rise and harder to stop, explained Kerr, but there are some preventions that can help prevent cyberbullying, such as counseling students and helping them cope.

“Leadership has really taken a huge role in helping raising awareness around the issue of bullying and encouraging students to be kind and respectful towards others in the school community,” said Kerr.

Nobullying.com says, “school bullying prevention programs are known to decrease bullying in schools up to 25 percent.”

Many students recognized that bullying occurs and that many of the bullies are facing their own issues.

 “I think that people who bully do it for the attention, ” said Emily Lowe, a Milford High School Senior. but in the end they need to realize that not everything is about getting the most attention and that it truly affects the person.”

In many cases, students will get bullied so much that it can end with suicide. There is a high suicide rate from bullying.  According to Center for Disease Control, more than 4,400 deaths can be attributed to bullying each year.

Many students have a hard time understanding why students would harass their peers.

“I think it’s unnecessary and I don’t understand why people do it,” said Audrey Petoskey, a Milford High School senior.

There are some people (mostly students) who will make a Youtube video of how they are being bullied and may lead to suicide.  In one sad case, a 15-year old Canadian student Amanda Todd made a viral Youtube video about her life/story and later committed suicide.

According to the Suicide Awareness Voices for Education ”suicide is, among 15 to 24 years olds, one of the leading causes of death for youth.”

There is a hotline program that anyone can contact if they are in need of help. Students can call or text this number at anytime. It is open 24 hours. 1-800-231-1127.

If you are someone you know if struggling with bullying or contemplating physical harm because of bullying, please contact this number or a professional at Milford High School.