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It's a question parents and professionals across the nation are asking: Does zero tolerance work in schools? Zero tolerance began as law calling for expulsion for bringing a gun onto school property. However, it's quickly morphed into a policy that deals with bullying, drugs, alcohol, and any act of violence, be it physical, verbal, or attitudinal.

In some school districts, zero tolerance has slowly become synonymous with "we don't want to put up with any sort of nonsense." Such policies impose severe consequences for violations, and, in some cases, this is doing more harm than good.

1. Zero Tolerance Can Hurt the Victim of Bullying

Consider this scenario: A child has been bullied for quite some time. So far, the bullying has taken the form of humiliation and verbal abuse, but today it gets physical, and his tormentors attack the child. He fights back to get away.

The teacher takes the students to the principal who suspends or expels them, including the victim.

2. It Can Take Away a Classroom Teacher's Autonomy to Settle Minor Incidents and Prevent Bullying

Consider this: A kindergarten class is having free play. In the course of play, a little boy says to another, "I'm going to kill you." The teacher would really like to take the opportunity to use this as a teaching moment. She could talk to the students about what words mean, how some phrases can't be used, even in jest, and how singling out one person can be considered bullying.

But under the zero-tolerance policy, she is required to report the incident to the administrator. The administrator then deals with the child as though he genuinely made a death threat.

3. Zero Tolerance Policies Can Be Discriminatory to Students With Special Needs

Students with behavioral and emotional disabilities are often disciplined under these policies. Under special education law, each case needs to be dealt with individually and with flexibility, if the incident is related to the student's disability. Those flexible solutions aren't always helpful. A student who needs a routine to function or come from a rough home will not benefit from suspension or expulsion.

For example, when I first began teaching, I worked in a classroom for children with behavioral impairments. One of our students who came from a very abusive, neglectful home, was suspended one morning for threatening another teacher. To our surprise, he was back in his seat after lunch, having snuck back into school because it was the safer option.

4. Zero Tolerance Policies Don't Take Age Into Account.

District-wide policies require a curious kindergartener to be treated the same way as an older student determined to bully or cause harm.

5. Zero Tolerance Policies Can Punish the Well-Intended.

A real-life scenario from Longmont, Colorado demonstrates this point: Fifth-grader Shannon Coslet's mother packed a knife in her lunchbox with which Shannon could cut her apple. Understanding that knives were against the rules, Shannon turned the knife into a teacher, was praised for doing the right thing, and then expelled her under the zero-tolerance policy because she was in possession of a weapon.

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How Zero Tolerance Policies Can Do More Harm Than Good

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Read several reasons that explain why zero tolerance bullying and violence policies are actually doing more harm than good.

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Bullying advice for parents | Bullying UK | Family Lives

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If your child is being bullied, read our advice on how to support them. You can also chat to us online for support

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Bullying at school Workplace bullying
If you think that bullying is just a part of everyday school life, you're wrong. No-one deserves to be bullied and you shouldn't ignore the problem. Government website offering advice and information for young people and parent on how to combat bullying.
ACAS - Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service
Helpline: 0300 123 1100

Bullying and harassment at work- Guidance for employees: acas.org.uk

Everyone should be treated with dignity and respect at work. Bullying and harassment of any kind are in no-one's interest and should not be tolerated in the workplace, but if you are being bullied or harassed it can be difficult to know what to do about it. This leaflet gives employees basic information about bullying and harassment, summarises the responsibilities of employers and outlines some of the options open to you and points you to sources of further information and advice.
Bullying UK (Part of Family Lives)
Helpline: 0808 800 2222
Workplace bullying Bullying at school Cyberbullying
BullyingUK part of Family Lives have launched a new LiveOnline Support service for every member of the family to get advice direct from our Expert team, our advisors are standing by to support you with a wide range of bullying problems.
National Bullying Helpline
Tel: 0845 22 55 787
nationalbullyinghelpline.co.uk
The helpline (a non Charity) is a Voluntary Organisation, is a household name and continues to provide practical and timely support to both adults and children; those bullied in the community, the home, the playground and/or the workplace. In fact the helpline is unique and today it is the only organisation of its kind run by qualified HR professionals. This website is now a central source of useful and practical information. Whether you are the bully, the bullied, the employer, the employee, a dispute resolution service provider, an academic or just a member of the public seeking 'up to date' information - you will find practical support here on this site.
Kidscape
Parent's Helpline: 020 7823 5430 (Mon-Tues 10-5pm)
kidscape.org.uk
Whatever your problem or concern we are here to support you. All problems, whether big or small, will be answered with the same level of care and concern. Your call will be treated as confidential and you can remain anonymous.
Childline
Helpline: 0800 1111
Cyber Bullying Mobile Phone Safety
ChildLine is a counselling service for children and young people. You can contact ChildLine in these ways: You can phone on 0800 1111, send us an email, have a 1-2-1 chat with us, send a message to Ask Sam and you can post messages to the ChildLine message boards. You can contact ChildLine about anything - no problem is too big or too small. If you are feeling scared or out of control or just want to talk to someone you can contact ChildLine.
Kooth.com
Kooth.com is an online counselling service that provides vulnerable young people, between the ages of 11 and 25, with advice and support for emotional or mental health problems. Kooth.com offers users a free, confidential, safe and anonymous way to access help.
Ditch the Label ditchthelabel.org
We are one of the UK's largest, most ambitious and pioneering anti-bullying charities with innovation at our very core. Bullying is a learnt behaviour and we won't stop until it's over. Young people tell us every single year how much some anti-bullying provisions have alienated them and made them feel like "disempowered victims". We are saying no to the fact that 2.5 million teens are still experiencing bullying every single year. We are saying no to defective anti-bullying policies that aren't worth the paper they are written on. A no to the villainisation and misunderstanding of those who bully others and a huge, big, fat no to young people being blamed for their own bullying and getting told to just ignore it.
Bully Busters
Helpline: 0800 169 6928

bullybusters.org.uk
Help and advice
We operate a full anti bullying initiative providing training and awareness sessions for young people, children, professionals, Governors and parents or carers. The website contains information and practical advice on bullying, as well as contact details for the free helpline or you can email us via the contact us form. We also encourage feedback so we can develop our services accordingly. A team of specially trained staff operate the confidential telephone helpline and take calls from victims, parents or from people with information about the bullying of children. As well as acting as a listening ear service, the team provides practical advice and can act as a mediator between the organisation where the bullying is taking place and the parent/carer of the child involved.
The Diana Award
diana-award.org.uk
Anti-bullying Support Centre
The Diana Award's Anti-Bullying Campaign involves a number of different projects aimed at reducing bullying in schools. One of our main projects is the Anti-Bullying Ambassadors programme which has trained over 22,000 young people across the UK to lead on anti-bullying campaigns in their schools.
The Mix
Helpline: 0808 808 4994
themix.org.uk
Life's tough, we know that. It can throw a lot your way and make it hard to know what the hell to do with it all. So, welcome to The Mix. Whether you're 13, 25, or any age in between, we're here to take on the embarrassing problems, weird questions, and please-don't- make-me- say-it- out-loud thoughts you have. We give you the information and support you need to deal with it all. Because you can. Because you're awesome. We'll connect you to experts and your peers who'll give you the support and tools you need to take on any challenge you're facing - for everything from homelessness to finding a job, from money to mental health, from break-ups to drugs. We're a free and confidential multi-channel service. That means that you choose how you access our support, without the worry of anyone else finding out. Whether it be through our articles and video content online or our phone, email, peer to peer and counselling services - we put the control in your hands. You can even volunteer with us too.
ACAS
Acas Helpline: 0300 123 1100 (8am-8pm Monday to Friday and 9am-1pm Saturday).

Customers with a hearing or speech impairment may prefer to contact us using the Text Relay service by dialling 18001 0300 123 1100.
Bullying and harassment at work Equality and discrimination
Acas (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) provides free and impartial information and advice to employers and employees on all aspects of workplace relations and employment law. We support good relationships between employers and employees which underpin business success. But when things go wrong we help by providing conciliation to resolve workplace problems.
Childnet International childnet.com/young-people
The internet is an amazing place and a wonderful resource and our aim is to help make the internet a great and safe place for children and young people. Find the latest information on the sites and services that you like to use, plus information about mobiles, gaming, downloading, social networking and much more.
Bullying UK (Part of Family Lives)
Helpline: 0808 800 2222
Cyberbullying Advice for Young People
BullyingUK (part of Family Lives) have launched a new LiveOnline Support service for every member of the family to get advice direct from our Expert team, our advisors are standing by to support you with a wide range of bullying problems.
Bikes Against Bullies UK
Contact: info@bikesagainstbullies.co.uk
bikesagainstbullies.co.uk
Bikes Against Bullies UK is a group set up for bikers, but not limited to them. Anyone can get involved! The aim is to create awareness surrounding bullying and offer support to victims and their families. Our children deserve to be safe, and to be empowered and to live their lives without fear.
Papyrus
Papyrus HOPElineUK - 0800 068 41 41

SMS: 07786 209697
papyrus-uk.org
Support for those dealing with suicidal feelings, depression or emotional distress - particularly teenagers and young adults.
Students Against Depression studentdepression.org
Developed in consultation with students who have been affected by depression, low mood or suicidal thoughts. Many of their stories and suggestions are included on the site.
Campaign Against Living Miserably
Helpline: 0800 58 58 58
thecalmzone.net
Support for young men under 35 suffering from depression.
The Cybersmile Foundation cybersmile.org
The Cybersmile Foundation offers practical help, support and advice for anybody affected by cyberbullying, as well as hate campaigns including parents, children, teachers and carers. You will find important information regarding cyberbullying in the advice and guidance section of the website, along with links to many other organisations that all offer different ways of helping with cyberbullying issues.
Thinkuknow thinkuknow.co.uk
Find the latest information on the sites you like to visit, mobiles and new technology. Find out what's good, what's not and what you can do about it. If you look after young people there's an area for you too - with resources you can use in the classroom, at home or just to get with it. Most importantly, there's also a place which anyone can use to report if they feel uncomfortable or worried about someone they are chatting to online.
Kidsmart kidsmart.org.uk
Aimed primarily at parents and people who work with children, this site includes top tips, resources and some "SMART" rules to help teach children how to stay safe online.
CEOP (The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre)
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre is dedicated to eradicating the sexual abuse of children. That means we are part of UK policing and very much about tracking and bringing offenders to account either directly or in partnership with local and international forces.
Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)
IWF is the UK hotline for the public to report child sexual abuse content on the internet. It works with the internet industry and the police in the UK and abroad to get the content removed. You can report on their website, anonymously if you prefer.
Fixers
fixers.org.uk

Fixers is a movement of young people tackling issues they feel strongly about to make a difference to others and want to change things for the better. Many have been through difficult times, and have used that experience to campaign on issues that matter to them, like being homeless, domestic abuse, bullying or drink and drug misuse. Anyone can become a Fixer. You can fix anything you like - as long as you benefit at least one other person.
More information and support from our helplines pages

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Bullying at school Workplace bullying If you think that bullying is just a part of everyday school life, you're wrong. No-one deserves to be bullied and you shouldn't ignore the problem. Government website offering advice and information for young people and parent on how to combat bullying.

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What are the different types of bullying?

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What are the different types of bullying?

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Researchers who study bullying have discovered that there is much more to bullying than meets the eye. For instance, many people once believed that bullying only consisted of physical bullying and name-calling. But there are actually six types of bullying, including everything from excluding and gossiping about people to making fun of their race or religion.

Not all bullies are the same. Each has a different style and uses different tactics to intimidate and control their victims. For instance, some kids that bully are very sly about how they attack their target, while others are downright mean. By being aware of not only the types of bullying but also the types of bullies your child may encounter, you will be better equipped to help your child in any situation.

Physical Bullying

Physical bullying is the most obvious form of bullying. It occurs when kids use physical actions to gain power and control over their targets. Physical bullies tend to be bigger, stronger, and more aggressive than their peers. Examples of physical bullying include kicking, hitting, punching, slapping, shoving, and other physical attacks.

Unlike other forms of bullying, physical bullying is the easiest to identify. As a result, it is most likely what people think of when they think of bullying. Additionally, it has historically received more attention from schools than other more subtle forms of bullying.

Verbal Bullying

Perpetrators of verbal bullying use words, statements, and name-calling to gain power and control over a target. Typically, verbal bullies will use relentless insults to belittle, demean, and hurt another person. They choose their targets based on the way they look, act, or behave. It's also common for verbal bullies to target kids with special needs.

Verbal bullying is often very difficult to identify because attacks almost always occur when adults aren't around. As a result, it is often one person's word against another's. Additionally, many adults feel that things kids say don't impact others significantly. As a result, they usually tell the victim of bullying to "ignore it." But verbal bullying should be taken seriously.

Research has shown that verbal bullying and name-calling has serious consequences and can leave deep emotional scars.

Relational Aggression

Relational aggression is a sneaky and insidious type of bullying that often goes unnoticed by parents and teachers. Sometimes referred to as emotional bullying or social bullying, relational aggression is a type of social manipulation where tweens and teens try to hurt their peers or sabotage their social standing.

Relational bullies often ostracize others from a group, spread rumors, manipulate situations, and break confidences. The goal of a relationally aggressive bully is to increase their own social standing by controlling or bullying another person.

In general, girls tend to use relational aggression more than boys, especially between fifth and eighth grades. These girls are often called mean girls or frenemies. A teen or tween on the receiving end of relational aggression is likely to be teased, insulted, ignored, excluded and intimidated.

Although relational aggression is common in middle school, it is not limited to tweens. In fact, some bullying bosses and other workplace bullies also engage in relational aggression.

Cyberbullying

When a tween or a teen uses the Internet, a smartphone, or other technology to harass, threaten, embarrass, or target another person, it is cyberbullying. If an adult is involved in the harassment, it is called cyber-harassment or cyberstalking.

Examples of cyberbullying include posting hurtful images, making online threats, and sending hurtful emails or texts. Because teens and tweens are always plugged in, cyberbullying is a growing issue among young people. It's also becoming more widespread because bullies can harass their targets with much less risk of being caught.

Cyberbullies often say things that they do not have the courage to say face-to-face. Technology makes them feel anonymous, insulated, and detached from the situation. To the targets of cyberbullying, it feels invasive and never-ending. Bullies can get to them anytime and anywhere, often in the safety of their own homes. As a result, the consequences of cyberbullying are significant.

Sexual Bullying

Sexual bullying consists of repeated, harmful, and humiliating actions that target a person sexually. Examples include sexual name-calling, crude comments, vulgar gestures, uninvited touching, sexual propositioning, and pornographic materials. A bully might make a crude comment about a peer's appearance, attractiveness, sexual development, or sexual activity.

In extreme cases, sexual bullying opens the door to sexual assault. Girls are often the targets of sexual bullying both by boys and by other girls. Boys might touch them inappropriately, make crude comments about their bodies, or proposition them. Girls might call other girls names like "slut" or "tramp," make insulting comments about their appearance or body, and engage in slut-shaming.

Sexting also can lead to sexual bullying. If a girl sends a photo of herself to a boyfriend, he may share that photo widely if they break up. She becomes the target of sexual bullying because people make fun of her body, call her crude names, and make vulgar comments about her. Some boys may even see this as an open invitation to proposition her or sexually assault her.

Prejudicial Bullying

Prejudicial bullying is based on prejudices tweens and teens have toward people of different races, religions, or sexual orientation. This type of bullying can encompass all the other types of bullying. When prejudicial bullying occurs, kids are targeting others who are different from them and singling them out.

Oftentimes, this type of bullying is severe and can open the door to hate crimes. Any time a child is bullied for his sexual orientation, race, or religion, it should be reported.

Common Types of Bullies

Bullies have different styles, personalities, goals, and behaviors. Their motivations for and methods of bullying are all different. And not all bullies will fit neatly into a category. Some bullies will fall into several categories and some may appear to be in a category all their own.

Bully-Victims

Bully-victims often rise up after being bullied. They bully others weaker than them because they, too, have been bullied. Their goal usually is to regain a sense of power and control in their lives.

This type of bully is very common. In fact, a large number of kids who bully others have been bullied themselves by peers. Their bullying is a way of retaliating for the pain they are feeling. Other times the bully-victim comes from a home with domestic violence or suffers abuse from an older sibling. In these cases, bullying is a learned behavior.

Most bully-victims are loners or fall at the bottom of the social ladder at school. This fact adds to the sense of powerlessness and anger they feel. Consequently, they often appear hostile, which can cause them to be unpopular. This, in turn, perpetuates the cycle of the bully victim.

Popular Bullies

Popular bullies have big egos. They are confident and condescending. They usually have a group of followers and may feel like they rule the school. These bullies have a sense of entitlement that can stem from their popularity, size, upbringing, or socioeconomic status. They thrive on the physical power and control they have over their victims and may boast about their bullying.

Popular boys most often bully others through physical acts like pushing someone around, taking their books, or pinning them against lockers. Popular girls are more likely to use relational aggression. They spread rumors, are manipulative, and often exclude others.

Popular bullies are sometimes the school's star athlete or perceived school leader. They thrive on the attention and power they get from bullying. Peers often tolerate this type of bully because they would rather be accepted than bullied.

Relational Bullies

The relational bully is usually a somewhat-popular student who enjoys deciding who is accepted at school and who isn't. Excluding, isolating, and ostracizing others are the most common weapons used by this type of bully. Most often, the relational bully will use only verbal or emotional bullying to maintain control. Many times, mean girls are relational bullies.

Relational bullies also maintain their power by using rumors, gossip, labels, and name-calling. Typically, they target others because they are jealous or feel they are socially unacceptable. Maintaining popularity is the key reason for relational aggression. The relational bully will do anything to be part of the "in crowd."

Serial Bullies

The serial bully is another type of bully often found in popular circles. These bullies are systematic, controlled, and calculated in their approach. Parents, teachers, and administrators may have no idea what a serial bully is capable of.

This type of bully appears sweet, charming, and charismatic to authority figures. But, they can be cold and calculating and tend to inflict emotional pain on their victims over long periods of time. Sometimes serial bullies will use physical bullying, but only if they can be sure they won't be caught.

Serial bullies are skilled manipulators and liars and are usually fake friends. Their sweet and nice persona is just another way to manipulate situations to their liking.

They are able to twist facts and situations to make themselves look innocent or to get out of trouble when confronted. In fact, serial bullies are often so skilled at deception that their victims often are afraid to speak up, convinced that no one will ever believe them.

Group Bullies

Bullies in this category are part of a group and have a pack mentality when they are together. They tend to bully as a group but behave much differently when they are alone-even if they are alone with the victim. Usually, group bullies are cliques that imitate the leader of the group and just follow along.

Because kids feel insulated when they are in a group, they often feel free to say and do things they wouldn't do otherwise. They also feel less responsible for their actions because "everyone is doing it." This is a very dangerous type of bullying because things quickly can escalate out of control.

Indifferent Bullies

Indifferent bullies are often unable to feel empathy. As a result, they can often appear cold, unfeeling, and detached and have very little, if any, remorse for what they do to others. These types of bullies, although less common than the other types of bullies, are often the most dangerous.

Indifferent bullies are bullying for the sheer enjoyment of seeing another person suffer. They are not deterred by disciplinary actions. Additionally, indifferent bullies are often vicious and have deep psychological problems that need to be addressed by a professional. Traditional bullying intervention does not usually bring about change in their bullying.

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6 Types of Bullying Parents Should Know About

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Bullying consists of more than pushing and shoving. Discover six types of bullying along with the various types of bullies your child may encounter.

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Bullying is a repeated aggressive behavior where one person (or group of people) in a position of power deliberately intimidates, abuses, or coerces an individual with the intention to hurt that person physically or emotionally. Acts of bullying can be physical or verbal. Many young people can be unkind to each other during adolescence as they refine social skills and grow into adults. While these interactions are unpleasant, there is a clear line between conflict and bullying. Incidents of bullying must include all 3 of these characteristics:

1)Intentional- the behavior was aggressive and a deliberate attempt to hurt another person
2) Repeated- these aggressive actions occur repeatedly over time to the same person or group of people
3) Power imbalance- the person bullying has more physical or social power than the child or children being bullied

Bullying almost always takes an emotional toll upon the child being bullied, but the actions that constitute bullying vary. There are four types of bullying, which can occur separately or simultaneously:

1) Physical bullying such as kicking or pushing
2) Verbal bullying such as name-calling or yelling
3) Relational bullying such as excluding or rumor-spreading
4) Cyberbullying which involves sending hurtful messages over digital devices like computers and cell phones.

Cyberbullying continues to increase as digital media become more prevalent in the social culture of children and teens.
The roles youth play
Situations involving bullying are often more complex than they seem. Three widely recognized roles in bullying situations are victim, bully, and bystander. However, bullying situations are rarely simple. Youth who are victims of bullying may also act as bullies under some circumstances.

Youth bystanders can either exacerbate a bullying situation, or intervene to stop it. Bystanders who make the bullying worse do so by either participating in the bullying themselves or providing the bully with an encouraging audience. Helpful bystanders, on the other hand, stand up for the victim when they see bullying occur, or get someone else who can help.

Be cautious about labeling. While we use the terms "victim," "bully," and "bystander" to refer to the roles that youth can play, it is important to consider the impact that these labels can have on young people's identities. Many researchers and educators believe that such labeling sends a message that the bullying behavior cannot change. There are many factors that might influence a youth's behavior, such as the youth's peers, family situation, and school climate. While we use the terms victim, bully, and bystander throughout this site for simplicity, we believe it is better to focus on the bullying behaviors, rather than the labels.
Who is at risk?
All young people are in danger of being bullied at some point during their adolescence-but there are certain populations at greater risk. Depending on the environment, some groups-such as youth who are perceived as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered, youth with disabilities, and socially isolated youth-may be more likely to be bullied.
What are the results?
The effects of bullying involve both the bully and the victim. Youth who are bullied are more likely to suffer from the following:

Depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and thoughts of suicide

Health issues like headaches, sleep problems, abdominal pain, bed-wedding, and fatigue

Academic issues including poor attendance, low test scores, and increased dropout rates

Youth who bully:

Are at greater risk of smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol

Perform poorly in school and have a poor perception of school environment

Are more likely to become involved in criminal activity and to experience psychiatric disorders*

*To find sources for the content on this page, please refer to the Bullying Facts resource

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Bullying is a repeated aggressive behavior where one person (or group of people) in a position of power deliberately intimidates, abuses, or coerces an individual with the intention to hurt that person physically or emotionally. Acts of bullying can be physical or verbal.