Supportive School Environment

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For protecting one against bullying, a creation of a safe and a supportive school environment is required. This calls for a plan which is comprehensive and is integrated in the school system, supporting a norm of safety, acceptance, cohesiveness and support. Instead of individualized or classroom level interventions which are usually implemented in isolation, the focus should be on developing broader, school wide interventions which are more likely to have a positive effect upon the school environment and thus, reduce bullying (Ttofi & Farrington, 2011; Vreeman & Carroll, 2007). For this purpose, substantial amount of time is needed, along with the approach being holistic and continuous commitment from the school authorities, teachers, parents,…show more content…
This requires the counsellor to be sensitive to the needs of both parties along with an understanding of who exactly the student is and what have been their experiences. This is important to consider because at times, an individual may fall into one or more category, namely, bully, victim, bully-victim or bystander. Each category requires varied types of information and support system, to effectively change behaviour, based upon an understanding of their socio-educational background and their bullying experiences. However, a common hurdle reported by school counsellors is the lack of access to the family of the individuals having such experiences. Because by high school, educators usually do not have a relationship or access to the parents of the students in…show more content…
It is a dire need for the Indian legislation to make it the duty of Indian schools to formulate policies and frame guidelines to deal with issues of bullying in school. One reason for such lapse can be attributed to previous statements that in India bullying is still seen as a part of ‘growing up’ and is more popular as being ‘ragged’. However, with the recent surge in the brutal bullying incidents at schools, involving suicides, shoot outs, sexual assaults and kidnapping, The Raghavan Committee Report, along with the Supreme Court in University of Kerala vs. Council, Principal’s colleges, Kerala & Ors (Supreme Court in Re Civil Appeal 887 OF 2009 on 8 Dec., 2011) has recommended that educational authorities be held responsible for such acts among students. Massive objections have been raised against the decision for the applicability of the Indian penal laws to school, however, the report presses for the application of anti-bullying policies in school. The report concludes by stating “If Bullying is tradition which cannot be reported then this tradition has to be stop because tradition never affects the Human

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