Teen Bullying: Changing Schools May Save Lives

By Staff Writer

Who is responsible for ensuring that teens are safe from school bullies? Since aggressive teens can’t typically be expected to police themselves, and bystanders are often targeted for bullying when they stand up for a friend in need, many people believe it is the responsibility of teachers, counselors and parents.

But in most public schools, teachers, counselors and principals are busy trying to manage the large number of students in their care, and many do not have the time, training or expertise to intervene effectively. And studies show that parents are often the last to know when a child is being tormented at school.

So what is a concerned parent to do?

Boarding School Benefits for Bullies

In some cases, getting away may be the only way to diffuse a problematic, and potentially life-threatening, bullying situation. At the heart of their torturous behaviors, many bullies suffer from emotional or behavioral issues that have not been diagnosed or treated. The bully may have problems at home, lack healthy coping skills or simply need an attitude check.

Whatever the reason, taking a bully out of their familiar environment and enrolling them in a therapeutic boarding school accomplishes a number of goals:

Puts an immediate stop to any bullying behavior
Allows the adolescent to be assessed and treated by master’s level therapists and other adolescent specialists
Exposes teen bullies to activities that they find exciting and fulfilling, prompting a change in behavior
Teaches healthy communication
Helps teens work through anger issues, defiance and interpersonal issues

Boarding School Benefits for Victims of Bullying

Bullying victims can also benefit from a change of school environment. While parents may be reluctant to interrupt their child’s school year or separate their child from their friends, studies show that severe bullying can lead to long-term emotional issues.

For years, the news has been filled with stories of teen suicides prompted by relentless teen bullying. And because adolescents are particularly sensitive to the opinions of their peers, the teen years are some of the most critical.

In some cases, victims of bullying may have underlying issues or emotional scars that need to be addressed in a therapeutic environment before returning to public school. Therapeutic boarding schools help the victims of bullying by:

Getting victims out of a toxic environment before lasting damage is done
Introducing a positive peer environment where student interactions are closely supervised and issues are addressed in healthy ways
Building self-confidence through honest achievement and overcoming challenges
Teaching assertive communication strategies

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Teen Bullying: Changing Schools May Save Lives

By Staff Writer