“A real or perceived power imbalance that is repeated or has the potential to be repeated.” This is the definition of bullying according to the Kentucky state school district. Bullying can come in different forms, some being more obvious, like typical bullying, and sometimes hurtful quips disguised as harmless jokes.
“Everybody has a different level of emotional intelligence, so what bullying may look like for one kid may look very different for another. Some don’t want the attention, so they will do anything they can to not tell an adult,” Guidance counselor Ann Listerman said.
According to Key Assets Kentucky, 1 in 5 High School students have been bullied during this school year. That is 20 percent of high school students. Bullying has always been prevalent in Kentucky school districts, but since 2022, the percentage of students 13-18 who have been bullied has been on the rise. So when taking a bathroom break or commuting to classes, students here at Highlands may notice new anti-bullying posters in the bathroom or in the hallways. This is the guidance office’s way of supporting bullying victims and preventing bullying situations.
“As well as posters around the school, we post information during legacy so that teachers can share resources about mental health awareness and bullying prevention. Our administration shares information at the beginning of the school year during class meetings to go over expectations in the building with students,” Guidance counselor Erica Thomas said/
Identifying bullying can be challenging for students because there can be difficult distinctions between actual friends joking with each other and a power imbalance between classmates. There are key words to think of when trying to identify a situation: witness, bully, victim, and noticing serious belittling behavior.
“I think the first thing that is important for students to know is that we have a zero tolerance policy on bullying at Highlands. I think that recognizing that we all have common key words like bystander, victim, and witness so identifying situations to trusted adults will be easier. I always encourage students to trust their gut instinct when something doesn’t feel right or makes them feel unsafe,” Thomas said.
Being a witness to bullying can be taxing to students. It can be an internal battle wondering whether to speak up or to stay quiet. But bullying victims may also not be able to speak up for themselves.
It is important as a student to speak up for fellow classmates who don’t have the courage to do so for themselves. There are options for reporting bullying. The school district set up an anonymous tip line for witnesses and victims to report bullying without the fear of being called out or getting involved.
“One of the resources that we share with students that we post frequently in the parent newsletter as well as in Schology class announcements is the district tip line, the district tip line is an anonymous way that students can report bullying to share about specific experiences that they are having if they are not comfortable talking to an adult on campus,” Thomas said.
Bullying is a serious offence and can scar people for life. Not only can it destroy someone’s confidence, but it can also change their personality, perspective, and demeanor. Bullying victims’ families and friends can be affected because of the change in personality and interests.
“It depends really on the person, but a lot of times you’ll see the morale of the person begin to deteriorate and depression may set in. They’ll start excluding themselves or pulling themselves away and not being social. It really tears down self-esteem,” Listerman said.
Bullying widens gaps in the Fort Thomas community and makes it difficult for victims to regain confidence and connection with classmates. Navigating a bullying situation, whether as a victim, bystander, or witness, can be hard to deal with, but reporting or standing up for a bullying victim could truly save somebody’s life.