Reference no: EM133829992
Assignment:
Respond to the following discussion. According to a recent study on bullying LBGTQ students in school settings, since 2015, there has been a significant increase of students self identifying themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual in a high school setting (Berry, 2018). As a direct reaction to this, there has also been an increase in violence and discrimination against LBGTQ students all over the nation not just in school settings but outside of school as well (Berry, 2018).
There has been an international and interdisciplinary team to examine bullying of LBGTQ students in the community and the research has led them to a few common attributes of critical information that should be included in an education program. While examining what bullying of LBGTQ students looked like, research discovered there was a deliberate victimization of a student repeatedly. In addition, there is an imbalance of power between the bully and the person(s) being bullied which makes it difficult for younger populations to defend themselves not only psychologically but physically as well (Berry, 2018). Lastly, during this digital revolution, bullying can be most harmful when done online, which is also known as "cyber bullying". Cyberbullying is particularly difficult because most bully's can hide and remain anonymous while simultaneously reach a large audience on a larger platform, sensationalizing the bullying on a larger level (Berry, 2018).
The education program would have to consider all of these attributes in order to be successful. I would first start with common knowledge and self-awareness among the students. This can be done in a PowerPoint presentation or a school rally/conference setting where we can define all these terms such as "cyberbullying" and disucss the negative outcomes of bullying behaviors in the community. I would encourage the teachers and staff to be involved by continuing the conversations in the classroom in a more intimate setting. In the classroom, the students could be encouraged to share stories that they have experienced or ask questions. The teachers should be facilitators making sure they are supporting strong communication between the issue at hand and the students.