WHAT IS GOING ON?
By Jonathan George
An uptick in school bullying, cyberbullying, and fights are emerging on campuses sometimes with deadly consequences. But what is causing this and who is responsible for this new climate among our youth?
To answer these questions, it is important to understand what is happening.
We have seen a 58% rise in anxiety, depression,
and suicide among our youth mainly due to social media.
Pre-Covid, 78% of teachers reported being overwhelmed and exhausted with over 270,000 educators leaving the profession annually.
The pandemic only exacerbated things to a boiling point, which we are seeing manifest in bullying and fighting.
To add to the fire, our country has been in the middle of a massive political divide, protests, and parents fighting school boards over what is being taught in the classroom.
Students already dealing with mental health issues reported spending more than five hours a day alone and online due to the lockdown.
In addition, compounding the problem and justifying inaction, there is a false sense of security by school administrators and decision-makers because there is no current data available on the fighting and bullying plaguing our institutions. The last documented credible scientific research indicated that school violence had been steadily declining and was at an all-time low in 2019 (Institution of Education Sciences (IES).
Studies take time and schools follow a rigid model of waiting for conclusive data before they invest time, energy, and funds to deal with problems.
However, we can follow the reports of bullying, fights, and suicide as well as teachers leaving the profession in unprecedented numbers.
I am the CEO of Rock My Campus and one of the schools we are working with brought us in because they already had eight fights in the month of September when they usually average four fights per year. This is a common trend among schools.
It is obvious that the rise of bullying and fights is a collision of many
different issues.
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is among the most effective tools in combating the problems plaguing our campuses.
Many schools are implementing SEL to some level, however, they are following a model that was developed over 50 years ago. These programs have not been modified to address current issues.
Our R.O.C.K.S.T.A.R. method is a unique approach to Social-Emotional Learning that speaks directly to today's issues and is relevant to today's audiences. Our full-year, strategy-based program gives educators the tools they need to overcome their own stress and overwhelm as well as equip students with the tools they need to thrive in a digital age. The outcomes show decreased bullying, fights, and conflicts; increased mental health and well-being, and improved learning.
For more information, contact us at info@rockmycampus.com