Just leaving this graph here for folks who think that cyberbullying is a bigger scourge than in-person bullying in schools (because we often tend to demonize technology)…

These data are from NCES Report 2024-109, Student Reports of Bullying: Results From the 2022 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey [Table 2.1], and are consistent with past research on this topic. About 1 in 5 students (19%) in grades 6 through 12 reported being bullied during the 2021-2022 school year [Table 1.1], despite prevalent security measures. For example, the vast majority of bullied students said that their school had security guards or assigned police officers (77%), staff supervision in hallways (87%), security cameras (93%), and a student code of conduct (94%) [Table 3.2].

As we wring our hands and blame social media companies for poor student mental health, anxiety, and well-being, we have a lot that we need to attend to INSIDE schools as well.

Your thoughts?

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Definitions

• “Bullied” includes students who reported that another student made fun of them, called them names, or insulted them in a hurtful way; spread rumors about them or tried to make others dislike them; purposely shared their private information, photos, or videos in a hurtful way; threatened them with harm; pushed, shoved, tripped, or spit on them; tried to make them do things they did not want to do, for example, giving them money or other things; excluded them from activities, social media, or other communications on purpose to hurt them; or destroyed their property on purpose.
• “During school” includes interactions in the school building; on school property; on the school bus; going to and from school; and using the phone, internet, or social media during the 2021–22 school year.