I read the article by Christopher Ferguson on the lack of success of bullying prevention programs with interest. As a former head of a middle/high school I found his article insightful and right on, until I got to his conclusion. After pointing out the lack of relevance, substance, and authenticity of the programs sold to schools by the Anti-Bullying Industry; the inept "zero tolerance" policies that are too common; and the serious problem of the use of peer reporting as another form of bullying, he concluded by saying that we need to stop giving so much attention to trying to stop victimization and move on to other school problems. I find it troubling that because the vast majority of programs are unsuccessful, we should simply give up and "move on." I doubt that the 36% of middle school students who report that they have been victimized in our nation's schools would agree.
Whether bullying is increasing or decreasing depends on the research one reads, but I think everyone can agree that it certainly continues to be a severe problem and a source of anguish for too many students. I believe most people can additionally agree that one-shot entertaining speakers, cute slogans, and trying to teach victimized kids to speak up to bullies are failed strategies.
The key lies in the climate and culture of our schools and the interactions both between adults and students that occur every day. We get what we prioritize, and unless we are willing to do the hard work of making our schools places where civility and respect are as important as test scores, we will continue to have bullying issues.