HCPS has a zero tolerance policy.
Where did summer go? The first day of classes for Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) is August 11. Along with all of the positives of schools, like learning, classes, sports, and clubs, one negative consistently raises its ugly head, bullying.
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, bullying is abuse and mistreatment of someone vulnerable by someone who is stronger or more powerful. According to a Center for Disease Control study on the problem, “Bullying victimization during childhood and adolescence has life-long consequences and is a public health issue of national concern. Previous research shows being bullied is associated with long-term psychological impact on well-being and poor mental health outcomes.”
A national health interview survey for teens that concluded in December 2023, found that 34 percent of teenagers had been bullied in the previous 12 months. Teenagers with a developmental disability were more likely to be bullied than teenagers without such a disability (44 percent to 34 percent). Bullied teenagers were nearly twice as likely to experience anxiety (30 percent) or depression (29 percent) during the prior two weeks when compared to teenagers who were not bullied.
Bullying extends beyond the physical. Children can be bullied verbally or in cyberspace. “So much of what we dealt with at schools was cyber-bullying, which no one had heard of 10 or 15 years ago,” Gary Graham, former principal of Durant High School, said. “There are more resources at schools now that are able to deal with a situation like that. My first comment to a parent, either of a student who was accused of bullying or was accusing someone else of bullying, was to shut down their social media. I hate to say it, but that is the root of all problems.”
As a proactive measure, HCPS changed its cell phone policies. For elementary through middle school, their cell phones are going to be put away and not accessible. The phone can’t make any noise the entire time it is on school property. One of the reasons is to make sure students don’t inappropriately use their cell phones for negative behaviors or negative interactions with other students. At the high school level, cell phones must also be turned off, but there is the flexibility for either a teacher, and/or an administrator to have a time of day a cell phone could be used, but only at the discretion of the principal, administration, or the teachers for specific reasons. Other than that, they must be put away. If phones are not in backpacks, there is a designated area in every classroom where cell phones are supposed to sit. The HCPS perspective is this policy will promote online safety and restrict the opportunities for online bullying.
“As a school district, we have a zero tolerance policy for bullying,” Patti Rendon, District 4 HCPS school board member, said. “We take the health and safety of our students very seriously. Our ultimate goal is to make sure our students stay in front of academics. At no time do we ever want to jeopardize the safety of our students. We have consequences for negative behaviors.”
An HCPS middle school administrator pointed out for tweens, part of the problem is, because children have their eyes on electronics instead of faces, they don’t experience as much social opportunity to learn how to speak to others and listen like pre-device generations did. The kids are becoming more aware of who they are, and what is going on in the world around them. These years of transitioning from a child to a teenager are difficult and can leave children feeling unsure of themselves, and make them appear vulnerable to an aggressor. Also, depending on the kid, stressors like a parent losing a job, chronic illness in the family, and even what they understand about the political environment can produce fear that can lead to children being insecure, or leave them reacting in anger. One of the ways HCPS addresses this time of life is by using surveys to help teachers and guidance counselors understand what life skills students lack that prevent them from navigating problems, difficulties, and stress, in order to understand how to help them build emotional resiliency.
HCPS is taking steps to suppress bullying at schools, but parents need to be involved, too. “As a rule, I would encourage parents to monitor all their children’s electronic devices, to be mindful of any kind of negative interactions with their child or any other child,” Rendon said. “If they do see any kind of negative interaction, where somebody is inappropriately speaking to their child, we encourage them to immediately go to their guidance counselor. Immediately go to their assistant principal. Report those situations if they have them. Parents…we have an open door policy to make an appointment with the guidance counselor or the assistant principal to have those conversations about the negative interactions so they can be documented and addressed immediately.”
“The instances we received were the reported ones,” Graham said. “I am sure there were numerous bullying situations at schools that went unreported.” For students that see other students on either end of bullying, schools have the means for anonymous reporting that opens a way for administrators to handle issues. “There are so many students who are making great decisions discouraging bullying, and not allowing it to surface, either in a classroom, cafeteria, or bus.”
“The main thing I can drill into parents is really know who your kids are interacting with,” Rendon said. “Recognize what is happening on their electronic devices. Be engaged with your students. That is the biggest deterrrent to any kind of bullying. Also, encourage your child to get involved with activities in the school that will have like-minded peers so that they can engage and create relationships that would avoid some of those situations. Anytime a child feels involved and welcome, they are going to succeed. We always want all of our students to feel engaged and welcomed at all of our schools. We encourage parent involvement. We encourage student involvement. Ultimately we know that will lead to success.”
