Bullying or Nah?
Someone bumps into you in the hallway by accident and apologizes. Bullying or not?
Not bullying
You see someone getting picked on in the hallway. Name one safe thing you could do.
Get an adult, support the student, interrupt safely, or report it.
True or False: Something said online can't be bullying because it didn't happen face-to-face.
False
Your friend disagrees with you and says they need some space for the rest of the day. Red flag or no big deal?
No big deal. Friends can disagree and take space.
Your friends are roasting each other and everyone is genuinely laughing. Is it automatically bullying?
No. Context, boundaries, power, and whether everyone is actually comfortable matter.
A student repeatedly makes fun of another student's clothes even after being told to stop.
Bullying
Your friend starts making fun of another student. What could you say without starting another argument?
Examples: “Chill, leave them alone,” “That’s not funny,” or redirect the conversation.
Someone posts an embarrassing picture of another student without permission and encourages people to make jokes about it. What type of bullying could this be?
Cyberbullying
Someone gives a student an embarrassing nickname. The student has repeatedly asked them to stop, but they keep using it.
🚩 Red flag. Continuing after someone sets a boundary can become harassment/bullying.
Someone says, “I was just joking!” after hurting someone's feelings. Does calling it a joke automatically make it okay?
No.
Two friends get angry and yell at each other during an argument.
Conflict, not necessarily bullying.
Someone tells you they are being bullied but says, “Don't tell anybody.” What should you do?
Support them and involve a trusted adult, especially if safety is involved.
What's one thing you should do BEFORE responding to a cruel message?
Pause; don't retaliate. Save evidence/block/report as appropriate.
Two students don't like each other and occasionally argue, but both participate equally in the arguments.
Probably conflict rather than bullying. Bullying usually involves an imbalance of power and repeated aggressive behavior.
A group chat is created specifically to talk badly about one student. Nobody says anything directly to that student. Can it still be bullying?
Yes.
A group intentionally leaves the same student out every day and laughs about it.
Bullying/social exclusion
You see a fight starting and everyone pulls out their phones. What's a better choice than recording?
Get an adult/help, move away from the situation, and don't spread the video.
Someone sends you a screenshot of an embarrassing private conversation involving another student. What should you NOT do?
Forward, repost, or spread it.
A popular student tells others, “If you hang out with her, don't hang out with us,” and several students begin excluding that person.
🚩 Red flag. This can be social/relational bullying.
You don't like someone and don't want to be friends with them. Are you bullying them?
Not necessarily. You don't have to be friends with everyone; you do need to treat people respectfully and avoid harassment or targeted exclusion.
What are three things commonly used to distinguish bullying from ordinary conflict?
Repetition, an imbalance of power, and intentional/aggressive behavior.
Your best friend is the person doing the bullying. What could you do?
Be honest with your friend, don't participate or encourage it, support the targeted student, and involve an adult when needed.
Name three actions you can take if you're being cyberbullied.
Save evidence/screenshots, block the account, report it, tell a trusted adult, and avoid retaliating. Any three.
Someone says, “I'm not bullying them—I never even talk to them,” but they regularly spread rumors about that person and encourage others not to associate with them. Bullying or not?
🚩 It can still be bullying. Bullying doesn't have to involve direct face-to-face interaction.
CHALLENGE: What's the difference between being rude, mean, and bullying?
Rude behavior may be inconsiderate or disrespectful; mean behavior is intended to hurt someone; bullying generally involves repeated aggressive behavior and a power imbalance.