How to Protect Adolescents from Bullying, Harassment, and Emotional Violence and words can hurt forever by James Garbarino Ph.D

Author:James Garbarino, Ph.D.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: FREE PRESS
Published: 2003-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

So What Are the Warning Signs?

Now that you are equipped with a basic knowledge of the context of risk and opportunity, how can you intervene at school to rectify a hostile or potentially violent environment? Listen to some warning signs from the mouths of students.

Basically a lot of stuff that goes on in school and things that happen … there’s nothing you can do. Things that you see that you don’t like, you can’t change it. (Cheryl, 16)

When I see or hear people talking about drugs, I feel helpless. Or when I see it happening. You think some of the people have a better head on their shoulders and didn’t do that. (Courtney, 16)

It’s not like what you feel doesn’t matter, but just that students can’t do anything about it. (Greta, 15)

If there’s a problem or trouble, it’s the students who are going to solve it, not the teachers. I have confidence in the students. (Lynne, 15)

Sooner or later you’re going to crack. You can’t keep it all inside forever. (Steve, 16).

There’s kids in my school who get bullied every day. The teachers know about it. They don’t do a thing. (Jake, 16)

It is time for adult intervention when a teenager is heard saying anything at all like the preceding remarks. These statements are system warning signs. They indicate dangers inside the kids—helplessness and anger—that arise from adult nonintervention.

Cheryl and Courtney’s comments are about feeling helpless, and powerless to make changes in “things they don’t like.” For a concerned adult, the question to ask is “What are these things you don’t like?” Lynne says the students, not the teachers, have to solve any problems. If your child says something like this, you need to ask, “What are the problems that the teachers don’t solve?” When “typical” students feel helpless to change the school environment, it is a major warning sign of system distress. When students who function well at school feel these ways, imagine how the more troubled, more marginal students feel.

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