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Why Your School's Bullying Prevention Specialist Can't be an Administrator  by Tom Letson

Why should an administrator NOT be your school's bullying point person?

A serious and committed school-wide Bullying Prevention Campaign does not involve a one day special assembly or posters and banners.  It involves a daily commitment to having one staff member dedicated as the Bullying Prevention Specialist, who on a daily basis, monitors the school climate, investigates reports of bullying, and provides staff, parents and students with advice on prevention and intervention strategies.

An administrator cannot be an effective Bullying Prevention Specialist because he or she has too many other day to day duties and responsibilities which require attention.   Effective school-wide bullying prevention program implementation, ongoing monitoring, report investigation and follow-up is a FULL-TIME job.  Administrators are a part of bullying prevention but are pulled in when needed by the building's Bullying Prevention Specialist.

An administrator cannot be the "filter" that is necessary in cases in which the student victim desires minimal attention to be drawn to the bullying and requests interventions that are subtle in nature, i.e.. increased monitoring, seat change, advice only.  If an administrator is the bullying point person, subtle interventions cannot be used because he or she must investigate and interview all involved to insure any violations of the school rules are revealed and receive appropriate consequences.  A staff member who is not an administrator can use professional judgment on a case to case basis in regards to the severity of the bullying, what the victim requests, and whether or not that request can be honored.  

Students will naturally feel more comfortable coming to a non-administrator to share a problem they themselves or having or have witnessed.  To elicit bystander help in a bullying prevention program, they must feel confident that their anonymity will be maintained.  This climate is more likely to be developed if a non-administrator is the Bullying Prevention Specialist.

Tom Letson MA LPC Private Practice

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