How has bullying changed since COVID-19? Here’s how to report at Belleville schools
When schools first shifted to online learning in spring 2020, some expected in-person bullying to plummet while bracing for an increase in cyberbullying.
The theory that in-person bullying would decrease was correct as students were not meeting on campuses, but cyberbullying actually decreased, too. Internet searches about at-school bullying, as well as cyberbullying, fell 30% to 35% at the beginning of the pandemic, according to a Boston University study.
However, bullying inquiries are decreasing at a lower rate for schools returning to in-person learning than those still offering online instruction.
Overall, about 22% of students from ages 12 to 18 report being bullied, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. But the likelihood of a student reporting they are being bullied is affected by a handful of personal factors, mostly relating to identity.
Students who identify as two or more ethnicities are more likely to report being bullied than students who identify as one ethnicity. More than 37% of students from 12 to 18 years old with mixed ethnicities reported being bullied in 2019, the most recent year for which data were available.
High school students who identify as bisexual, lesbian or gay are almost twice as likely to experience bullying at school than their heterosexual classmates, with 33% of LGB students reporting bullying compared to 17% of straight students.
Female students are also more likely than male students to report bullying, with 25.5% of reports made by girls and 19.1% made by boys.
The Illinois State Board of Education recommends a few practices to reduce bullying, including reducing unsupervised areas at school, cultivating a positive school culture and climate and addressing concerns of students who bully.
We talked to local school officials about bullying and rounded up a guide on reporting the activity to officials at area schools.
‘We want to offer support on both ends’
Administrators at District 201 in Belleville are taking steps to mitigate bullying, including implementing practices such as yoga and mindfulness with the goal of helping students de-stress.
The district is also developing initiatives designed to foster social and emotional development in high school students, as well as problem-solving skills. One way in which the school is practicing these initiatives is by educating students about the school’s social workers and counselors.
“That’s a skill that we want to teach them purposefully so that they have safe ways to express their anger or frustration, but in that safe space, they can get that individualized support that they need,” said Marshaun Warren, the district’s director of human resources and diversity/inclusion.
Administrators say the school offers support to all students who are involved in bullying.
“Whether it is the aggressor or the victim, we want to offer support on both ends,” Warren said. “There needs to be support on both sides to make sure that not only we reroute the behavior and support that student, but also make sure that the student who maybe was on the receiving end feels safe in our school community again.”
One step parents can take to mitigate bullying is to monitor their child’s social media activity, said Assistant Superintendent Melissa Taylor.
“We do see that a lot of things that we deal with at school sort of have their origin from things that have happened online with students. And many times parents don’t even realize that their child has those accounts or certainly that they’re posting the kind of things that they’re posting,” Taylor said.
District 201 employees will work with students who report bullying to keep things as anonymous as possible.
Read on for how to report bullying and Title IX incidents at Belleville-area schools.
District #201
Belleville East High School and Belleville West High school
Students are encouraged to report incidents related to bullying, harassment, intimidation, sexual harassment or any other prohibited conduct to the nondiscrimination coordinator, building principal, assistant building principal, dean of students, a complaint manager or any other employee with whom the student is comfortable speaking.
Nondiscrimination coordinator: Malcolm Hill, mhill@bths201.org, 618-222-3745
Additional complaint managers: Andrea Gannon, agannon@bths201.org, 618-222-3723 or Marshaun Warren, mwarren@bths201.org, 618-222-8223
There is an online bullying reporting form that asks the person reporting to enter the victim’s name, the reporter’s name, relationship of the reporting person to the victim, accused bully’s name or description, location, date, time and nature of incident, names of any witnesses, whether there is any evidence and if the incident has occurred before.
The field for the name of the person reporting can be left blank, and the form says it is confidential and students can opt to remain anonymous. If you do put your name, someone from the counseling department may contact you if more information is needed.
Here are the online reporting forms for bullying at Belleville East High School and Belleville West High School.
Bullying can also be reported by email to bestop@bths201.org.
Students with Title IX-related concerns can speak with any employee with whom they feel comfortable. Title IX policy information was not available on the school’s website.
Governor French Academy
People experiencing or witnessing bullying are strongly encouraged to report the incident to Headmaster Kim Powers. Reports can be made in-person, and Powers can also be reached at 618-233-7542 and by emailing kpowers@governorfrench.org.
The school’s policy says no student will be punished for reporting or providing information about bullying even if the investigation concludes no bullying has occurred, so long as the information was not knowingly false.
Title IX policy information was not available online.
Althoff Catholic College Preparatory High School
Althoff students should report bullying immediately to the school’s principal, Sarah Gass. Gass can be reached by emailing sgass@althoffcatholic.org or calling 618-235-1100.
Title IX policy information was not available online.
Belle Valley School District #119
Bullying can be reported to Belle Valley’s Stand for the Silent chapter. There is an option to report using an online form or you can email sftshelp@bv119.net.
Formal complaints about Title IX-related issues can be made to Superintendent R. Dane Gale, who serves as the district’s Title IX coordinator. Gale can be contacted at 618-236-5200.
Mascoutah School District 19
Title IX reports can be made by completing this document.
Mascoutah students are encouraged to report claims or incidents they reasonably believe could involve bullying, intimidation or harassment to any school employee. According to the school, complaints will be kept confidential to the extent possible given the need to fully investigate the report.
This story was originally published April 27, 2022 at 9:35 AM.
