GREENACRES, Fla. — City leaders in Greenacres are stepping up to stop bullying.
Wednesday, they held what they call "Let's talk," a community conversation to discuss the subject, and how to spot the signs of bullying.
"We have zero tolerance for it if we see it, we call it out," said Alyssa Urrutia, the recreation assistant at the Greenacres Community Center.
For 11th grader Caroline Pieseo from Dreyfoos School of the Arts, she said being a student alone can be stressful and went to the meeting to find ways her own peers who may be bullied.
"It doesn't have to be physical bullying. It can also be verbal or online. That's a really big thing. It's mostly from the internet or different social backgrounds," said Pieseo. "It does affect a lot of the things you do in school, especially your studies. It can make your grades drop, or just lose friends."
In the presentation, Dr. Essence Rivers Psy.D. with the High Ridge Family center said 1 in 5 teens nationwide experience bullying.
In 2021, 41% of youth have been bullied at least once. Seventy-one percent of youth have witnessed bullying.
Seventy percent of adults in school have witnessed bullying.
"That means in the classroom there's probably a fourth of that classroom that's being bullied by others and so it's really flooring and something we need to talk about," said Rivers.
The free discussion worked through identifying the types of bullying, the signs of bullying and how to address the problem.
Signs that someone is being bullied:
- unexplainable injuries
- lost or destroyed belongings
- frequent headaches or stomach aches
- change in eating habits
- difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares
- declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork, not wanting to go to school
- sudden loss of friends, not wanting to go to social situations
- feelings of helplessness or decreased self-esteem
- self-destructive behaviors such as running away from home, harming themselves, talking about suicide.
"The lengths that it can go to is self-harm and so that's something that we don't condone whatsoever, and bullying is something that we don't condone here city-wide," said Urrutia.
The discussion welcomed students and parents to share their personal stories and work through the root of what creates a bully.
"A lot of people that bully are not bullying because they're mean people. Some kids have been the victim of bullying and then turn around and become the perpetrator. They may come from families that they may not have the support that they need," said Rivers.
Signs that someone is a bully:
- Physical or verbal altercations
- having friends who bully others
- frequently sent to the principal's office or detention
- possessing extra money or new belongings
- blaming others for problems
- not accepting responsibility for their actions.
- competitiveness
- worrying about reputation or popularity
Next in the series of "Let's talk" discussions will be a conversation on "Depression" on March 16, followed by how to support people on the autism spectrum on April 13.
If you are experiencing bullying in the School District of Palm Beach County you can call their District Bullying Hotline at 561-434-8200.
