Bullying makes school a daily ordeal for some pupils

Bullying can make going to school a source of fear for children and teenagers, BR reports, with some pupils facing exclusion, ridicule and repeated insults from classmates.

Students at Gymnasium Holzkirchen, a secondary school, told BR that bullying can leave young people under severe psychological stress and feeling anxious, sad, lonely or ashamed, with low self-esteem.

Daniela Frey, who works on conflict resolution in schools for Brücke in Munich, said bullying could affect anyone. A pupil’s position within a group may matter more than personality, she said: having friends and connections can offer protection, while being isolated can increase vulnerability.

Signs of bullying vary. Some children withdraw or become quieter, while others return from school angry or visibly upset. Unexplained stomach aches or other physical complaints, as well as a sudden drop in school performance, may also be warning signs. Parents who suspect bullying should raise their concerns with the school.

Holzkirchen school head Axel Kisters said schools generally have procedures for responding to suspected bullying, involving people such as class teachers, liaison teachers or school psychologists. He stressed that staff should take concerns from parents and pupils seriously and investigate them. A disagreement between two pupils does not automatically amount to systematic bullying.

According to a study by the Robert Koch Institute cited in the report, 14 percent of surveyed pupils said they had experienced school bullying, either as targets or as perpetrators. Frey said no one in a bullying situation benefits from it, and that the behaviour should not simply be attributed to cruelty.

Frey said parents can help by building their child’s confidence and providing a safe, supportive home. She also said teachers should establish clear values for how pupils treat one another and address behaviour that breaks those standards. She described this as an important way to prevent bullying.