Bright
What’s
Bullying?
Teasing. Taunting. Being mean. No matter what you call it, one thing is
for sure: It’s all about power. People who bully are trying to take your
power—the part of you that’s strong, smart, and confident. They keep
hurting your feelings with actions or words that are meant to be hurtful.
Quiz
Is This Bullying?
Think you know what bullying is? Read about each situation,
and decide whether or not it’s bullying.
1. A boy in your class was sick and didn’t
make it to the bathroom in time. Now
the kids call him a mean name. You
don’t call him that, but you laugh along.
Yes, it’s bullying.
No, it’s not.
I’m not sure.
2. It’s the same thing day after day—you
see the boys on the bus pushing and
shoving as they try to get off the bus
to go to school.
Yes, it’s bullying.
No, it’s not.
I’m not sure.
3. There is a girl in your class who
is different. Lately people have
been posting terrible things
about her, but they never say
anything to her face.
Yes, it’s bullying.
No, it’s not.
I’m not sure.
4. A girl comes up to you in the
lunchroom and says, “I don’t mean
to be rude, but you need to move.
Only my friends sit here.”
Yes, it’s bullying.
No, it’s not.
I’m not sure.
5. One day she’s your friend,
and the next day she’s
sitting with someone else
and won’t talk to you.
Yes, it’s bullying.
No, it’s not.
I’m not sure.
6. A girl asks, “Can I play with you
guys?” One of your friends
says, “Sorry, it’s not going to
work out today.”
Yes, it’s bullying.
No, it’s not.
I’m not sure.
7. You sometimes stumble over
words when you read aloud.
Every time it happens, the
same girl corrects you.
Yes, it’s bullying.
No, it’s not.
I’m not sure.
8. You said something kind of mean
to a classmate about his mom’s
car. You apologized afterward and
tried to be extra nice to him the
rest of the day.
Yes, it’s bullying.
No, it’s not.
I’m not sure.
Answers
1. Yes. Joining in the laughter
means joining in the bullying. In
fact, by encouraging the bully-
ing, you may be doing as much
harm as the bullies themselves.
2. Maybe. Are these boys just
horsing around playfully, or is
one or more of them trying
to hurt or scare the others?
Unwanted touching is definitely
bullying. In a situation like this,
talk to the bus driver or another
trusted adult.
3. Absolutely. Gossiping—or
talking behind someone’s back—
is one of the most hurtful forms
of bullying. Using the Internet or
devices such as smart phones to
bully is called cyberbullying, and it’s never OK. Not ever.
4. Yes. Saying “I don’t mean to be
rude” or “no offense” doesn’t
excuse mean behavior. This girl
may think she’s a leader, but
bossing people around isn’t lead-
ing—it’s bullying.
5. Yes. Being an on-again, off-again
friend is hurtful and not being a
friend at all. If you’ve tried to talk
to her and it keeps happening, you
need a break. Let your friend know
you need space, but be polite
when you see her.
6. Maybe. If a group has made plans
to spend time together outside of
school, it’s OK to say this in a polite
way. And if someone has been
treating you or your friends badly,
you don’t have to play with her.
But if your friend is leaving this girl
out to make her feel bad, then yes,
that’s bullying.
7. Probably. While this girl may be
bragging about her own reading
ability, she is embarrassing you in
the process, and that’s not OK. Ask
her to please stop. If she doesn’t,
it’s definitely bullying.
8. No. We all say stupid things once
in a while. You let this boy know
that you were sorry. It happened
once,