Keeping bullying victims engaged in school can help them avoid truancy and low academic achievement, researchers from the National Center for School Engagement say in a bulletin from the U.S. Justice Department's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).
The recommendation is one conclusion of a study of bullying funded by the OJJDP.
"Challenging academics, extracurricular activities, understanding teachers and coaches, and a focus on the future help keep victimized children engaged in their education," the bulletin says.
The researchers also say that anti-bullying programs should model caring behavior for students; offer mentoring programs; provide students with opportunities for service learning; address the transition from elementary to middle school; and avoid the use of prefabricated curriculums that are not aligned to local conditions.
