The disturbing connection between bullying and sexual harassment
November 29, 2016
http://theconversation.com/the-disturbing-connection-between-bullying-and-sexual-harassment-68033
Social-Emotional Learning: Prevent Bullying &
Promote Positive School Climate
AERA Ed-Talk in Washington, D.C/February 18, 2016
Fact Sheet
ILLINOIS RESEARCHERS DEVELOP SOCIAL SENSING GAME TO DETECT CLASSROOM BULLIES
https://news.illinois.edu/blog/view/6367/204478
BOYS WHO BULLY PEERS MORE LIKELY TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL HARASSMENT
https://news.illinois.edu/blog/view/6367/204482
TEACHERS UNDER ATTACK
I contributed to another report on violence against teachers, this one put out by the Huffington Post. See segment below.
VIOLENCE AGAINST TEACHERS A ‘SILENT EPIDEMIC’
I was recently featured in an AP story about violence against teachers. Click below for the full story.
GUTGSELL ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIP
Recently, I was humbled and honored to learn that I have been appointed to an Edward William Gutgsell and Jane Marr Gutgsell Endowed Professorship.
PRESENTATION AT COLORADO’S BULLYING PREVENTION INSTITUTE
Today I had the privilege of presenting at Colorado’s Bullying Prevention Institute in Glenwood Springs. You can watch my presentation in full by clicking below.
http://livestream.com/CSSRC/PSC-Glenwood/videos/29800478
SCHOOL BULLYING PREVENTION EFFORTS FALLING SHORT
Responding to concerns that schools should do more to stop bullying, a new California audit found that most schools do not track whether their anti-bullying programs have made campuses any safer and that schools are inconsistent in how they record and resolve bullying incidents.
DISCUSSING OUR AERA REPORT
The American Educational Research Association (AERA) recently published a report about the prevention of bullying in schools, colleges and universities. I contributed to the report and offer a brief discussion of our findings at the link below.
Dorothy Espelage Discusses AERA’s New Report on the Prevention of Bullying
TEEN DATING VIOLENCE
Our most recent research findings about the nature and prevalence of teen dating violence are receiving some national attention. Check out the links below for more information.
NEW FEDERAL PROPOSAL REGARDING ANTI-GAY BULLYING
I recently contributed to a story written by EdSource’s Jane Adams about a new federal proposal that would require public schools to collect data about anti-gay bullying. Click the title below for the full article.
Schools asked to track anti-gay bullying under new proposal
LATITUDE NEWS RADIO
A very well-done radio show where I speak to the lack of evidence for bully prevention programs adopted from other countries. We have a frank discussion with American teachers about the challenges they face on a daily basis that makes it difficult to add yet another program to their plate.
BLOG TALK RADIO
Please listen to this radio show to hear about the work that the American Educational Research Association supported on preventing bullying and harassment in our schools. It is time to use educational research to inform our practices, rather than continuing to engage in “band-aid” and “feel good” methods of prevention.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/edutalk/2013/06/07/aera-educational-research-on-bullying-from-aera
DUPAGE REGIONAL OFFICE OF EDUCATION HOSTS DR. ESPELAGE
The DuPage ROE was pleased to host University of Illinois bullying researcher, Dorothy Espelage, Ph.D., to the Center for Professional Learning on May 14. Educators from the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and Bullying Prevention Professional Learning Communities (PLC) met with Dr. Espelage to learn realistic strategies for bullying prevention and how to promote positive school climate. Dr. Espelage explained the complex dynamics involved with bullying including the overlapping risk and protective factors. Her research shows it is critical to give youth life and social skills, not just knowledge about bullying. It is also imperative for schools and communities to recognize peer and social norms, and focus on positive adult role modeling. A videotape of her presentation will be made available in the future.
- Dr. Espelage with Ruth Cross, CASEL trainer.
AERA REPORT: RESEARCH AND RECOMMENDATIONS
I serve as co-chair of an American Educational Research Association (AERA) task force focused on the prevention of bullying in schools, colleges and universities. Click below for more information about a report we just released at AERA’s 94th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Prevention of Bullying: Research Report and Recommendations
BULLYING IS REALLY AN OVER-USED TERM
I would love to hear from folks about our concern that the word “bully” is being overused in our schools and communities! My experience is that parents are calling everything bullying and the result is that we do not really know what kids mean when they say they are being bullied. Why not encourage youth to talk about what is really happening to them? They are calling me names, they are picking on me, they push me up against the lockers, they are threatening me. They are “bullying” me is simply not enough information!
Thoughts welcome.
Dorothy
BULLY PREVENTION TALK IN MY HOME TOWN!
Twenty-seven years ago I graduated from Staunton River High School. Located in Bedford County in Virginia, I spent many of my days studying, running cross country and track, and playing volleyball. Today I returned to train school administrators on the topic of bullying. My heart was filled with joy and honor. Who would have ever thought that I would have been the “expert” advising these school leaders. They were open to a critical view of the problem, they understood that we can not fix this over night, and they appreciated that fixing this problem requires a comprehensive solution!!!!
Here is a local news story that really summed up the 3-hour workshop message:
BEDFORD COUNTY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS TRAIN TO TACKLE BULLYING
On these days, I feel that our work in the University of Illinois Espelage Lab is making a difference! Let’s keep science in the discourse and remember that bullying co-occurs with other forms of aggression and is associated with complex adverse outcomes for perpetrators and victims. Thanks Bedford County for the inspiration to continue on this prevention journey!
VIDEOS FOR KIDSINTHEHOUSE.COM
I recently sat down and filmed several videos for KidsInTheHouse.com, a website of resources for parents. Here, I introduce myself by telling some of my story and then talk about how prevalent bullying is today. To see the rest of my videos, please visit my page on the site.
PREVENTION AS THE FOCUS
I woke up this morning to a sunny day and the first thing I hear when I turn on the news is a story about the overnight shooting in the Chicago-land area. I would like to say this is a rare event, but it has become a morning ritual. As I hear of the gun violence on the streets of Chicago, I can not help but wonder why we are not hearing more about how the US government plans to address our serious gun violence problem? For that matter, I have not heard about Sandy Hook in sometime and as we often do in the US, we have started the process of forgetting about the horrible event. Thus, I continue to have the goal of reminding everyone at every point I can of Sandy Hook and what it represents on a larger scale. Sandy Hook is not only about gun control, but it is also about us understanding how individuals in our society are marginalized and pushed aside. As long as we continue to label and write-off certain individuals in our society, we will continue to have individuals who feel that they are entitled to create fear in our lives and individuals who engage in aggression acts toward themselves or others. I want to remind all of you of the recommendations put forth by a group of the strongest scholars in the area of violence, school safety, threat assessment, and mental health issues, along with bullying in our schools.
This statement can be found here: http://curry.virginia.edu/articles/sandyhookshooting
Prevention must be the focus, not just reactionary interventions. Let’s think about how to create caring communities for all individuals, so that we can prevent the likelihood of these events. Let’s encourage positive relationships in schools, communities, and in families. When is the last time you reached out to a stranger who looked upset, to a child who was behaving in a disrespectful way, or to a family in your neighborhood who might be struggling to manage their children through nonviolent means? Of course, it is safer to just mind your own business and put your head in the sand. But wouldn’t it be better to be a role model to others and interact in prosocial ways? Prevention rests will ALL of us.
Now set the goal of reaching out to someone you do not know today. Research indicates that connected individuals in connected communities are not likely to engage in aggressive and violent acts, those who are surrounded by violence will engage in violence in other contexts.
– Dorothy