Thursday, September 08, 2016
According to an analysis by Wallethub.com, a personal finance social network, Michigan has the biggest bullying problem in the United States.
The study measured 17 key metrics including bullying prevalence, bullying impact and treatment and anti-bullying laws.
"The recent ranking should be looked at as an opportunity to review best practices, identify gaps and then actively seek to make changes," explains Marlene Seltzer, M.D., medical director of Beaumont Children’s No Bullying, Live Empowered (NoBLE) program. "Comprehensive school based programs have been shown to be effective, but they require training of all school personnel, support of the entire school community, and on-going attention to implementation."
Dr. Seltzer points to research that found a positive school climate benefits academic performance. According to Dr. Seltzer, "Attempting to impact the latter, without addressing the former, is unlikely to yield desired results."
"Bullying is a a societal problem and it will take all of us to make a difference, not only school personnel," adds Dr. Seltzer.
Dr. Seltzer believes that the Michigan community must decide that bullying prevention is a priority and be willing to make the investment with both resources and time to do the vital work that needs to be done.
The National Voices for Equality Education and Enlightenment provide the following statistics on bullying:
- Every 7 minutes a child is bullied.
- Only 7% of U.S. parents are worried about cyberbullying; yet 33% of teenagers have been victims of cyberbullying.
- It is estimated that 160,000 children miss school every day due to fear of attack or intimidation by other students.
Navigating the Social World with Your Teens
Parents are encouraged to explore ways to keep their child safe online, as children continue to have more access to social media sites. Parents and other adult family members can sign up for Beaumont Children’s FREE special event that will provide information and tips concerning online safety.