The Menace Of Bullying: What District 202 Parents Are Saying

PLAINFIELD, IL — An informal survey of Patch readers whose children attend School District 202 and other local schools shows parents' concern over bullying and their suggestions and tips for combating the scourge. The survey results were part of a larger look at bullying, with parents throughout the Midwest signaling that bullying — in school and over social media — is a significant problem.

The regional parent survey, timed to coincide with National Bullying Prevention Month in October, was posted on dozens of Patch sites in Illinois and across the Midwest. The survey is not scientific, but could be considered a broad indicator of parents' feelings about the seriousness of bullying in their schools and communities.

As of Friday, Oct. 18, more than 460 parents had responded to this regional Patch survey. The key findings were:

• Nearly 71 percent of parents said their children had been bullied at least once.
• Nearly 65 percent had been bullied this school year.
• More than 56 percent of parents said their child had been bullied by name calling, while nearly 34 percent say their child has been bullied via text, social media or other electronic communication.

Plainfield results

There were at least 45 survey respondents with children enrolled in District 202 schools. The majority of them said their children had experienced some level of bullying. At least three respondents said their child had never experienced bullying, and one person said they don't know if their child has been subjected to bullying.

Plenty of Plainfield parents had thoughts on how the district could better address bullying. A number of parents said the guardians of an accused bully should be brought in to the discipline process, so as to help stop the problem in the future.

"Bring the parents to a meeting with their child and address it," one respondent said.

The school district could be more proactive in attempting to stop bullying before it takes place, some parents said. "More social emotional teaching and more [focus] on social emotional development," one survey response read.

One person said bullying has become too match of a loaded term. Rather than focus on bullying prevention, teach positive behaviors to foster a better social environment in schools, one reader said.

"Rather than much talk about bullying, acts of kindness and thoughtfulness should be celebrated," the response read.

These informal findings should be compared to statistics compiled in more scientific surveys that note:

• Bullying affects 1 in 3 U.S. schoolchildren (NoBully.org)
• 59 percent of U.S. students experience cyberbullying (Pew Research Center)
• 160,000 kids stay home from school every day to avoid bullies, National Association of School Psychologists

The Menace Of Bullies: Patch Advocacy Reporting Project

As part of a national reporting project, Patch has been looking at society's roles and responsibilities in bullying and a child's unthinkable decision to end their own life in hopes we might offer solutions that save lives.

Do you have a story to tell? Are you concerned about how your local schools handle bullies and their victims? Email us at bullies@patch.com and share your views in the comments.
Selected Stories From The Project

• Bullied To Death: When Kids Kill With Words
• I Could Have Been Mallory Grossman
• Bullied Over Homemade T-Shirt, Kid Inspires University Of Tennessee Design
• America's Shameful Truth About School Shooters And Bullying
• Cyberbullying Most Often Affects Girls; These Women Are Trying To Stop It
• Bullying Kids: Straighten Up, Or Your Parents May Have To Pay Up
• Teen Who Killed Himself Wasn't 'Worthless,' Family Tells Bullies
• Menace Of Bullies: Why This Woman Resigned Her 6-Figure Job
• Survivor Of Bullying And Suicide Writes Frankly About Both