Bullying Behavior (continued)

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The first step to decreasing bullying behavior in schools is to have a firm policy of zero tolerance for bullying behavior. Students need to know that bullying behavior is not acceptable and will have consequences. Parents must also receive this message from school administrators.

Supervision is also critical to any antibullying program. Since bullies seek and plan opportunities to bully within schools where there is limited adult supervision, increased adult supervision in hallways, bathrooms, and playgrounds is critical.

Schoolwide programs that increase and build supportive relationships among students have also been developed. For example, the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (Olweus, 2005)—which involves school administrators, teachers, parents, and students—recommends the following measures:

• The formation of a bullying prevention or intervention committee within each school
• The study of the extent of bullying in their school through an anonymous student questionnaire
• Staff training on bullying identification and remediation
• The adoption of schoolwide rules against bullying, and increased adult supervision of students throughout the school day and in all locations
• The development of consequences for students' bullying behavior
• Teaching students about empathy toward others
• Intervention for students who bully and who are bullied
• The involvement of parents
• The intervention and reporting of bullying behavior by bystanders who observe the behavior

Another program, referred to as community conferencing (Wachtel, 1997), calls for a formal process that brings everyone involved and affected by the bullying behavior together to address and change the behavior.