With the pervasiveness of bullying at schools, more and more parents are concerned about their children’s safety since teachers are not always present to keep an eye on students. Children are not safe from harm against bullies especially when they are outside of the school’s premise. The growing number of bullying cases is already a cause for alarm. The Republic Act No. 10627 or also known as the Anti Bullying Act of 2013 addresses this concern among parents, teachers and even students who are considered victims of bullying. The anti-bullying act ensures that these cases will no longer fall on deaf ears.
What is bullying?
Bullying refers to any repeated or severe use by one or more students of a verbal, electronic or written expression, or a physical gesture or act that can bring physical or emotional harm to the victim. Bullying is also perceived as creating an unfriendly environment for the other student that can cause disruption in the education process.
The following is considered acts of bullying:
a. Any unwanted physical contact between the victim and the bully such as pushing, shoving punching, tickling, headlocks, slapping, teasing, fighting, inflicting school pranks and the use of available objects or weapons;
b. Any act that can create damage to a victim’s emotional well-being;
c. Any accusation that can make the victim emotionally distressed such as profanity, foul language, negative comments or derogatory remarks on the victim’s appearance, body and clothes; and
d. Cyber-bullying or any type of bullying that is initiated with the use of technology or any electronic means.
Procedures and strategies for bullying:
• Report acts of bullying;
• Respond in a timely manner and investigate reports of bullying;
• Ensure victim’s safety and assess if they need additional protection;
• Provide counseling and other necessary services for the victims, perpetrators and family members.
• Allow students to anonymously report bullying provided, that no disciplinary administrative action will be taken against the reported student based solely on the anonymous report;
• Provide sanction to a student who makes false accusation of bullying;
• Educate students on the anti-bullying policies and dynamics of bullying;
• Educate parents and guardians about the anti-bullying polices, dynamics of bullying and how parents and guardians can provide support and reinforce policies at home; and
• Keep a public record of statistics and relevant information on acts of bullying. However, the names of the students who were reported to have committed the acts of bullying must be treated with confidentiality and will only be made available to the teachers and school administration that are directly responsible for the said students and parents or guardians of the victims of bullying.
