Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire How to combat school bullying

Somehow I don't think this is going to work. A school in England has eliminated recesses and...well, you'll just have to read it.


In an effort to eliminate bullying, a school in England has replaced breaktime playground games with poetry recitations, choir and quizzes. Said Charlotte Whelan, the Hackney New School head teacher (the British equivalent of a principal): “A school without bullying sounds like a utopia, but it is achievable.”

Whether or not reciting Percy Shelley during recess is your idea of utopia, a BBC piece on the school quotes Whelan saying: “It’s long been my belief that we could be doing more for pupils while they are on their breaks. So often you see them aimlessly wandering the playground. We want every second at school to count.”

I’m sure the kids are counting the seconds, too.

Clearly, Whelan is of the belief that kids’ brains shut down the moment they are not engaged in something officially academic. Now the students, aged 11-16, practice sonnets by bards of yore and recite them in the lunch line — or even while eating. For even more fun, Whelan said, they “quiz each other on capital cities.”

Woo-hoo!

The issue here is not just the Dolores Umbridge nature of the administration. It’s the inability of that administration to believe that kids could possibly be learning anything — or not bullying — when they are allowed to goof around. The “teachable moment” notion of child development is so thick here that kids are not allowed to “waste” their time even in between bites.

This notion is wrong. “When they are free to play in their own ways, children practice the most important skills required to move toward adulthood — how to take initiative, make their own decisions, solve their own problems, negotiate with peers and, yes, how to deal with others who aren’t always nice,” says Boston College psychology professor Peter Gray, one of the co-founders of Let Grow with me. “When we prevent them from such opportunities by taking continuous control of their lives, we prevent them from growing up.”

Prevent away! That seems to be the philosophy of those who believe the only way to end bullying is to end any freedom the students enjoyed. Linda James, founder of a nonprofit called Bullies Out, notes in the BBC piece, “Unstructured games can sometimes lead to nasty comments, aggressive behavior or children feeling left out.”

She’s right: some sad feelings — and betrayals and loneliness — are inevitable in childhood (and adulthood!). Talk about your teachable moments! Not that anyone wants kids facing constant cruelty. But learning how to deal with some playground frustration is actually a big life skill it behooves kids to learn.

I doubt it will come as a surprise that another expert quoted in the piece said it is important for schools to create safe spaces, where kids “feel supported and included.”

In other words: Kids will fall behind and hurt one another the second they get the chance, so the only option is to micromanage every interaction — and throw in some sonnets.

The Marshmallow Generation is blooming?

I am 58 years old and many years since my last recess but I remember recess is where kids learn to deal with bullies on their own terms.
Bullies these days are not mostly the kid that walks up and slams you in the back of your head. They are kids that pound on other kids on social media.
Banning recess is just another example of how they punish everyone for the bad behavior of a few they cant or wont deal with.

The treatment for bullying is for the little kids to take karate so that they can fight back.
Of course this never occurs to Libs because they abhor violence.

Poor little buttercups.

Getting your azz whipped or giving out a azz whipping is part of growing the fugg up.


Probably half the males in this country across all age groups aint never had 1 good punch in the face or dealt one out in their life.

You can’t kids stronger by making them pussies.


#kobrakai

My son was bullied in grade 4? 5?

We tried all the school bullshut none of it worked. Taught my son how to punch and a few basic throws. Told him never to start the fight but if he was in one to finish it. The bullying began one day after recess my son from I what I can gather threw / tossed one of the bullies against a wall where he fell onto a boot rack and began to cry.

My son was sent to the office. As per previous instruction from myself and my wife he refused to talk to school admin until a parent was there. The VP was pissed as they could have handled it, my wife said no you couldn’t because you have not been to able to handle it so far. My wife also informed the VP that our son was to face no consequences for his actions and if the school had any issues with how our son handled himself they were with my wife and I.

Bullying ended there and then. No consequence for our son.

Bullying ended the way it always does, stand up to the bully, if you can’t beat him at least be an “expensive meal”.

All this liberal bs does not work.

Rant off.

My little girl was being pushed and pinched by another little girl in elementary school and was telling her Mom about it in my hearing. Mom was telling to report it to the teacher. I broke in and told her to grab that kid throw her down and give that brat her money's worth. Mom says "no don't tell her that, she can't be fighting, she'll get suspended". I told her maybe so, and told my daughter if she got suspended I would take off those days and we would do whatever she wanted. Problem was solved the next day and she didn't get suspended or bothered again. I think the teacher was glad to see it.

Stopping recess, not going to matter. On the bus, before school, after school, work on the problem not try to avoid it.

It's Lyle Alzado vs. Ringo Star, and it's always gonna be. Poetry isn't going to change that.

If you don't get the reference, watch the movie "Caveman". If for no other reason, Barbara Bach in a fuzzy bikini is worth it.

Way back in Jr high, I was 6'1" and very skinny. A wannabe bully decided he wanted to fight me but he wasn't very convincing. He just talked and made a fool of himself. I just ignored him. Our school bus route took us way out in the country, miles from any buildings. One day on the way home, someone on the bus told him that if he'd get off at a certain place, I'd fight him there. I knew nothing about it. He jumped up and told the driver to let him off there. We watched out the windows as he threw his books on the ground and started flexing his muscles...and watching the bus drive away leaving him with at least 5 miles to walk.

My technique was suggested by my older cousins.

They told me if I punched the first bully that laid a hand on me in the face I'd be left alone.

That worked great in elementary. I only needed to punch Jimmy Hoffa once in second grade. Real name of a real kid, not the mobster, of course.

In secondary it took a little more work but overall it worked there too.

By high school it was clear sailing.

School as we have all known it is going to go away.

I think it was going to happen regardless, but 2020 really accelerated it.

Rock Chuck,

They did away with recess ten years ago around here.
They treat children like school is a full time job allowing a 20 minute lunch break and no play.
The schools have a lousy way of motivating and making sure that children have a quality education in spite of some very good teachers.
Even while serving in the schools in my state, I always recommended home schooling to parents.

Bullying has always been a problem, and is occasionally fatal. Both boys and girls have their challenges. I was beat up and bloodied in the first grade by a forth grader. That's how early it can start.
That big fat gal didn't let up until I hit back. LOL!

By the time they get into high school fights, weapons are common and man sized athletes applying for scholarships with major universities. Things can get dangerous at that age and often are.
Children come in contact with all kinds from all backgrounds.

The best parents can do, in a nutshell, is....

1. Stay involved as possible in their children's lives and require the same. This doesn't happen by accident. The government makes lousy parents. Don't turn your children over to them to raise. Don't place your children into situations that they are not equipped to handle.

2. Limit time on the internet and make sure that it is supervised. No social media accounts allowed.
If they want to socialize, give them opportunities to get together with friends. Only approved friends from decent families should be allowed. Controlling?
YES! It's called parenting.

3. Get your children enrolled in martial arts.
Most schools are poorly run IMHO. Many of the teachers indoctrinate the children in eastern religions of no value. Many are ground fighting or sport oriented as well. This may work well for one on one encounters and the sport, but are often not street based practical. If ground fighting skills and sports related competition are desired, by all means go for it. Keep in mind if you want it to be useful against bullies, it can be a limiting factor when multiple opponents and weapons are involved.
It's hard to find a good teacher, so shop around and consider family lessons for a trial period. It can become a great friend and family fitness program for life.

When we were kids growing up, when bullied, our Mom and Dad would have us go and pound them, lol, especially Mom.
I remember my Brother getting tuned by a couple kids and my Mom taking him to school the next day and told him to go and kick their azz, he did. I remember her saying...don't come home beat up again. I never disappointed Mom, I knew we were going if I did.

I haven't changed abit, I consider People who try to bully me as an opportunity, lol.

There was this kid in school, maybe 15yrs, he would go up to timid type kids and spit in their faces, he always had his thugs with him. One day he spit in this kids face....this kid grabbed him and fed him until he went down balling his eyes out in front of everyone, one of the funniest things I have ever seen.

When they figure out you will fight, they leave you alone.

We had a couple bullies in high school that I stayed very clear of. One was an all-state offensive guard, well over 200 lb and very strong. The other was a thug but equally strong. They were way out of my league for fighting back.

the last guy that bullied me I tried to drive my fist through his head.. and almost did.. he left school screaming and I never saw him again.. I thought I had killed him but someone said he changed schools.. he was Bare footed when the fight started and went home barefooted.. I guess his sister took his shoes home..that was the last fight I had in school.. we were not punished for fighting back then win or lose,,

Son was bullied by just one guy in high school. The bully was a wannabe thug, a couple years older and larger than the rest of the boys in his grade. He'd already been kicked out of a couple of other schools and had a juvenile police record for assaulting someone with a knife once, too.

Afraid of getting suspended if he tried to stand up to bully, son tried talking with school counselors but they were no help whatsoever with one actually admitting that they were afraid of the bully as well.

The bullying ended abruptly right after the bully happened to be in the gym locker room and saw my son arm wrestling with friends of his who played on school football team and none of them could put son's arm down.

Bully wanted to be son's friend from then on.