Bullying in Schools Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bullying in Schools - Essay Example In general bullying can be defined as powerful child or group attacking those who are less powerful intentionally to cause harm. Bullying can therefore take three forms: physical which generally involve beating, punching kicking, pushing, taking personal belongings etc.; verbal which involve taunting, teasing, nicknaming, making threats; and psychological such as spreading rumors, manipulating social relationships, or intimidation through gestures or social exclusion (Ericson, 2001). Bullying in schools has become such a serious issue that most of the schools are taking steps to prevent it through anti-bullying policies. If we take a look at the statistics it is estimated that 30 percent of American children are regularly involved in bullying, either as bullies, victims, or both (NRCSS, 2001). Besides, researchers have also pointed out that about 15 percent of students are "severely traumatized or distressed" by one or the other bullying incidence, and about eight percent of the students report being victimized at school at least once a week (Hoover and Oliver, 1996; Skiba and Fontanini, 2000). It is a proven fact that bullying is one of the most serious anti-social activities that can harm individuals and groups. ... On the other hand, children who bully are more likely to become violent and aggressive adults (Banks, 2000). It is important to note that even those students who are not directly involved in bullying are affected. Children and teens who often witness bullying at school suffer from insecurity feeling and have a less secure learning environment. They fear that they may become the target of bullying some day. If we take into account the statistics of the real impact of bullying in schools, researchers found that 160,000 students miss school every day due to fear of attack or intimidation by a bully (Fried and Fried, 1996). Roughly about 20 percent of students are afraid of bullying during much of the school day (Garrity, et al., 1997). Weinhold and Weinhold (1998) estimated that 10 percent of students who drop out of school are because of repeated bullying. Besides, 60 percent of students according to Banks (2000) characterized as bullies in grades 6-9 had at least one criminal conviction by the time they reach the age 24. Hence, these statistics point out that there is an urgent need to bring in policies in the schools to control bullying. Strategies to combat bullying Several researchers have said that the most effective means of addressing bullying is through comprehensive, school-wide programs involving students, parents, teachers and counselors (Atlas and Pepler, 1998). It is also important to have special programs designed to reduce the bullying activities in schools. For instance, the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, developed, refined, and systematically evaluated in Bergen, Norway, in the mid-1980s, is one of the best-known initiatives designed to reduce

Women in the workforce in the 1970's in comparison to today Research Paper

Women in the workforce in the 1970's in comparison to today - Research Paper Example These definitions and stereotypes have led to expected gender roles in society, most which have developed because of superficial relationships to gender. However, this issue is one which doesn’t realistically construct the identity of individuals. When looking at â€Å"Who’s in Charge Here’ with the Mary Tyler Moore show, it can be seen that gender identity is one which is based on the gender stereotypes and definitions created in society. The result is a construction of both gender and boundaries based on stereotypes, as opposed to realistic expectations. The issue of gender roles in society is one which was first seen with the 1970s show and continues to be a part of society today. Gender Roles from Moore The episode which shows the gender differences in the Mary Tyler Moore show is â€Å"Who’s in Charge Here.† The differences in gender are noted specifically with the news room that Mary is working in. The gender expectations are first divided by those who hold the power within the news room, including the new News Producer, Lou and the News Director, Murray. Within this episode, the gender roles are divided first by the divisions in which the males have more power and Mary remains in the same situation. However, it is quickly found that Mary is only holding to this role because of gender. The power positions which both men have cause Mary to not only complete her work, but also to do the work of Murray and Lou because they don’t understand the situation. By the end of the episode, it is recognized that the positions need to be reconsidered based on qualifications, as opposed to the gender expectations from the news room (Sandrich, 1972). Stereotypes of Gender The episode demonstrated by the Mary Tyler Moore Show is one which constructs identity based on gender and gives the divisions and roles based on this stereotype. This particular concept is one which hasn’t changed today and continues to be a component i n which men and women are divided. The gender differences come first from the idea of competition in which each individual divides according to the individuals who are considered the most powerful in society and create a competitive attitude toward what is occurring. These gender differences are further divided by the power which one holds in relation to the stereotypes and the competitive spirit which is supposed to be a part of the gender. This construction of stereotypes is one which is defined specifically by the patriarchal shaping of society. It has been found that the matriarchal society has the same concept of competition among women because of the environment which is created for survival. The stereotype of gender is one which becomes constructed specifically because of the social order which is in a given culture (Gneezy, Leonard, List, 1637). The stereotypes which have been created within culture are furthered by the expected places in which women and men should have. The concept of work, within the traditional role for women, is one which most were not considered as capable of doing. The main role of women in the patriarchal society was based on the stereotype of staying in the home and caring for the family while men worked in a given office. This created a position with both in society, specifically with the stereotypes and expected gender role that was in society. Family obligations is found to become secondary for men while women often have to adapt to the concept of work structures that require shifts in how one works. This particular stereotype is one which is acted among the majority of individuals in society and is referred to as gender – typing, which one debates about specific roles because of gender (Gustafson, 513). The episode with Moore shows this, specifically as Mary has difficulty deciding