- The CDC estimates that about one-quarter of all high school students in the U.S. have experienced bullying, and of those, about 15.5%, or approximately 600,000, missed one or more days of school because of bullying-related safety concerns.
- Numerous studies have shown that bullying can lead to chronic physical and psychological damage, which in turn can have short- and long-term negative effects on academic achievement and employment.
- According to bullyingstatistics.org, the behavior contributes to the suicide rate among teens, with bullying victims being 2 to 9 times more likely to consider suicide than non-victims.
- Middle-schoolers report the highest rate of bias-based bullying, with about 25% experiencing it at least once a week.
That last figure has drawn the attention of PESA, where we believe bullying can be reduced by teaching tolerance and acceptance through our unique educational programs aimed squarely at middle-schoolers. At a recent virtual session delivered to a group of fifth and sixth graders at Challenger Middle School in the Antelope Valley, students were presented with definitions and examples of tolerance, privilege, identity, diversity, inclusion and more. Pupils were given skills through a lively discussion about how to be more inclusive and how to avoid bias. They were also shown two short videos regarding “Intersectionality” and “Empathy vs. Sympathy,” and the students were actively engaged throughout.
In a time when our country is so divided and instances of hate and bias are rising, PESA’s goal is early education to counter the traumas of bullying before high school and beyond. If you’re an educator who would like information on how you can take advantage of this program, or if you’d like to support this or PESA’s other educational initiatives, please contact us. ■