as the bullies themselves.
2. Maybe. Are these boys just
horsing around playfully, or is
one or more of them trying
to hurt or scare the others?
Unwanted touching is definitely
bullying. In a situation like this,
talk to the bus driver or another
trusted adult.
3. Absolutely. Gossiping—or
talking behind someone’s back—
is one of the most hurtful forms
of bullying. Using the Internet or
devices such as smart phones to
bully is called cyberbullying, and it’s never OK. Not ever.
4. Yes. Saying “I don’t mean to be
rude” or “no offense” doesn’t
excuse mean behavior. This girl
may think she’s a leader, but
bossing people around isn’t lead-
ing—it’s bullying.
5. Yes. Being an on-again, off-again
friend is hurtful and not being a
friend at all. If you’ve tried to talk
to her and it keeps happening, you
need a break. Let your friend know
you need space, but be polite
when you see her.
6. Maybe. If a group has made plans
to spend time together outside of
school, it’s OK to say this in a polite
way. And if someone has been
treating you or your friends badly,
you don’t have to play with her.
But if your friend is leaving this girl
out to make her feel bad, then yes,
that’s bullying.
7. Probably. While this girl may be
bragging about her own reading
ability, she is embarrassing you in
the process, and that’s not OK. Ask
her to please stop. If she doesn’t,
it’s definitely bullying.
8. No. We all say stupid things once
in a while. You let this boy know
that you were sorry. It happened
once, and you did your best to
make it right. It was a mistake, not
bullying.
What Does a Bully
Look Like?
Bullies aren’t all rough-and-tough looking. They can be girls or boys, kids or
adults. Anyone can bully—even you. In fact, at one time or another, many of
us will bully someone else. But whether we’re teasing a sibling or purposely
leaving out a friend, it’s not OK. Here are some examples of bullying . . .
Gossiping or
spreading rumors:
“Psst, did you
hear about . . . ?”
Telling secrets:
“ Don’t tell her I
told you, but . . .”
Name-calling:
“She’s such a loser.”
Embarrassing
someone:
“Hey, everyone,
watch this.”
Pushing and
shoving:
“Move!”
Excluding
someone on
purpose:
“You can’t be
in our club.”
Teasing or putting
someone down:
“I can’t believe you
don’t know that!”
Scaring someone:
“You’d better do
what I say.”
Spot the Difference
The best way to tell if you’re being bullied is simply by noticing how it feels.
Bullying is done on purpose. It’s usually done repeatedly, like a pattern. And it’s
meant to be hurtful. Being bullied feels bad.
Hey, would you
mind? I was
sitting there.
Hey, would you
MIND???
I was sitting there!
One says, “Sorry to bother you.”
The other says, “Move it!”
