Note: The issue of bullying is serious and multifaceted. I am in no way suggesting that we don't intervene. I am in no way suggesting that we "blame the victim" and withhold necessary support. My goal in wring this piece is simply to make sure that our attempts to help don't result in exacerbating an already horrendous problem.
A teacher in Florida wrote and asked me to address the issue of bullying, specifically asking how we can help kids stand up to bullies. First, I encourage you to read "Getting at the Roots of Bullying," an article I wrote for the Virginia Journal of Education a couple of years ago.
Those of you familiar with my work know that I'm particularly interested in language because I believe the words we use contribute to the reality we create, something I discuss in "Watch Your Language!" So how does our use of language relate to bullying? How does our language impact kids who have been victimized? When exploring the dynamics of bullying, we typically read about three main roles: the bully, the victim, and