Ostracism: just as bad as bullying but harder to ban
April 28, 2011
The Boston Globe:
The proposed plea deal for five defendants charged in connection with harassing 15-year-old Phoebe Prince — a South Hadley girl who committed suicide last year — reminds us of the evils of bullying. Schools across the county have instituted anti-bullying rules, suspending students for abusing their peers with words or physical contact.
But what about students who are ostracized? Ignored by their peers as if they don’t exist? Consider it bullying or not, it’s a form of cruelty that’s tougher for authorities to prohibit, yet it can be just as psychologically damaging, says Kip Williams, a professor of psychological sciences at Purdue University.
Read the whole story: The Boston Globe
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