Bullying is often treated as a normal part of growing up. Students may be told to ignore it, stand up for themselves, or simply wait for it to pass. But for many young people, bullying is much more than a difficult moment at school. It is often persistent, ongoing, and can affect their mental health, sense of belonging, relationships, attendance, and ability to learn.
Bullying continues to affect students in schools across the country, making prevention an important part of creating safe, supportive learning environments. While some incidents are reported and recorded, others may go unreported or unnoticed, making the full scope of the problem difficult to measure. Creating an environment where students feel comfortable speaking up and know where to turn for support can help schools address bullying before it becomes a larger issue.
Bullying is More Common Than Many People Realize
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 34% of teenagers ages 12–17 reported being bullied during the previous 12 months between July 2021 and December 2023. While some students experienced bullying only once or twice in a year, others experienced it repeatedly. 6.5% reported being bullied at least once or twice per month, while another 4.4% experienced bullying once or twice a week and 1.7% experienced it almost every day.
Data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) similarly show that bullying remains a significant issue in schools. During the 2021–22 school year, approximately 19% of students ages 12–18 reported being bullied during school. Among students who experienced bullying, 22% reported that it occurred online or through text messages.
It is important to recognize that reported statistics do not necessarily capture the full scope of bullying. Some students may never report what they are experiencing because they are afraid of retaliation, feel embarrassed, believe adults will not help, or do not recognize certain behaviors as bullying. Incidents may also go unreported or unrecorded by schools.
Bullying can take many forms. Rumors, name-calling, insults, social exclusion, threats, physical aggression, and the intentional sharing of private information or images can all have serious effects on students. The most commonly reported forms of bullying in the 2021–22 school year were being the subject of rumors and being made fun of, called names, or insulted.
And bullying doesn’t necessarily end when students leave the school building. Digital communication and social media can allow harmful behavior to continue outside school hours and extend into students’ homes and personal lives.
The Mental Health Effects of Bullying
One of the most concerning effects of bullying is its connection to student mental health.
The CDC’s National Health Interview Survey found that teenagers who had been bullied were significantly more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression than teenagers who had not been bullied. Among teenagers who had experienced bullying in the previous year, 29.8% had symptoms of anxiety during the previous two weeks, compared with 14.5% of teenagers who had not been bullied. Similarly, 28.5% of bullied teenagers had symptoms of depression, compared with 12.1% of those who had not been bullied.
These numbers illustrate why bullying should not be dismissed as simply a social problem between students. For some young people, repeated harassment, exclusion, or humiliation can become closely connected to their overall emotional well-being.
The CDC’s 2013-2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey also found that 40% of high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. The same data showed that the percentage of students reporting that they were bullied at school increased from 15% in 2021 to 19% in 2023.
The effects of bullying can also extend far beyond the immediate experience, particularly during childhood and adolescence. Persistent stress, anxiety, and depression during childhood and adolescence can interfere with a young person’s ability to learn, build healthy relationships, develop confidence, and feel connected to their school community. When these experiences continue over time, they may contribute to longer-lasting challenges that extend into adulthood, including an increased risk of ongoing mental and physical health concerns.
While bullying is not the only factor affecting youth mental health, the consistent association between bullying and negative mental health outcomes demonstrates why schools should take reports of bullying seriously and work proactively to prevent it. By addressing bullying before its effects become more deeply rooted, schools can help protect students’ well-being while creating an environment where they have the opportunity to learn, grow, and develop in a safe and supportive setting.
Bullying Can Affect a Student’s Sense of Safety
A school should be a place where students can learn, build relationships, and develop confidence. When a student regularly expects to be mocked, excluded, threatened, or targeted, that sense of safety can begin to disappear.
NCES data show that 41.3% of students who reported being bullied believed the bullying would happen again.
That expectation matters. A student who is constantly anticipating the next incident may have difficulty focusing on class, participating in activities, forming relationships, or feeling comfortable in the school environment.
Bullying can also contribute to students avoiding school altogether. In the CDC’s 2013-2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 13% of students reported missing school because of safety concerns either at school or on the way to school, an increase from 9% in 2021.
When students do not feel safe or supported, the effects can extend beyond the immediate bullying incident and begin to interfere with their education. Creating a strong sense of connection and belonging at school can help counter these effects. According to the CDC, young people who feel connected to their school are less likely to experience poor mental health, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, substance use, violence, and other health risks. The agency recommends that schools identify safe people and spaces, provide inclusive opportunities for students to build connections, and establish and enforce policies that protect students from harassment and other harmful behaviors.
Building a Culture Where Students Speak Up
Bullying prevention needs to involve the entire school community. Students need to understand what bullying looks like, know how to seek help, know which trusted adults they can turn to for support, and recognize their role in creating a respectful environment.
NCES data indicate that less than half of students who experienced bullying reported notifying a trusted adult. So why is this? Some students viewed bullying as such a common part of school life that it could seem normal or unavoidable. Others reported that they felt there was little an adult could do to stop the bullying, or were unsure of whether an adult would take their concerns seriously.
In many cases, students worried that adults would respond in ways that were ineffective, inappropriate, or that would make the situation worse, causing students to believe that they should handle bullying themselves rather than involve an adult. Feelings of embarrassment, shame, or humiliation were also cited by students when asked why they never reported their bully. (Journal of School Violence)
Students and adults do not always understand or define bullying in the same way, so creating clear, approachable ways for students to report concerns can help remove some of the uncertainty surrounding speaking up. Just as importantly, students need to know who their trusted adults are and understand that asking for help is not the same as failing to handle a situation themselves. Having anonymous reporting platforms in place such as OK2SAY can help reduce the shame and stigma students feel in reporting bullying, and can help connect them with the appropriate people who can address their concerns.
Why Bullying Prevention Matters
Addressing bullying after it happens is important, but prevention should not begin with a disciplinary referral. Effective prevention starts with establishing expectations before a problem occurs.
Students need opportunities to learn about empathy, self-worth, accountability, and how their actions affect others. They should know what bullying looks like and understand the difference between standing by, joining in, and helping someone who is being targeted.
Prevention is therefore not simply about stopping individual incidents; it is about building an environment where students feel seen, supported, and comfortable asking for help.
A successful bullying prevention program should give students practical tools they can use when they encounter bullying.
Students should know:
- What bullying can look and sound like
- How bullying can affect the person being targeted
- Who they can go to when they need help
- How to support someone who is being bullied
- Why standing by or participating can make the situation worse
- How to respond appropriately when they witness bullying
- That asking a trusted adult for help is an important part of keeping their school community safe
These lessons are especially important for younger students, who are still developing their understanding of empathy, relationships, conflict, and personal responsibility.
Prevention also needs to be reinforced over time. A single conversation is unlikely to change an entire school culture. Consistent reinforcement from trusted adults, student involvement, and opportunities to practice positive behaviors can help make prevention part of the everyday school environment.
Not In Our School: Turning Prevention Into Action
Students need opportunities to talk about bullying, understand how their actions affect others, and learn what they can do when they see someone being treated unfairly.
That is the focus of LockOut’s Not In Our School program. This program uses an age-appropriate approach to explore topics such as self-worth, empathy, kindness, accountability, and bullying prevention through hands-on activities and an interactive song. Students learn to recognize bullying, identify trusted adults they can turn to, and develop an action plan for what to do when they or someone else is being bullied.
The program extends beyond the assembly itself. If purchased, students sign acrylic pledge boards as a commitment to stand up to bullying and help create a more positive school environment. Displayed throughout the school, the pledges serve as a reminder that creating a respectful and supportive environment is something students, staff, and the entire school community can contribute to.
LockOut can also provide a custom anonymous tip line that connects directly with designated administrators, giving students another way to communicate concerns when they may not feel comfortable approaching an adult in person.
For schools that want to continue reinforcing these ideas throughout the year, Not In Our School also offers extended assemblies that focus on individual concepts including self-esteem, kindness, confidence, and accountability. These sessions provide an opportunity to revisit the lessons from the initial assembly and continue conversations about how students can support themselves and one another.
Ultimately, bullying prevention is about creating a school environment where students know they are valued, know where to turn for help, and understand that they have a role in looking out for one another.
Bullying Prevention is Part of School Safety
School safety is not limited to preparing for emergencies. Students also need to feel safe in the everyday environment where they spend much of their lives.
Bullying can affect a student’s mental health, sense of belonging, attendance, relationships, and ability to learn. With a significant number of young people reporting experiences with bullying, prevention deserves to be an ongoing part of school safety and student well-being.
Creating a safer school starts with giving students the knowledge, confidence, and support they need to recognize bullying, speak up, and look out for one another.
Learn more about LockOut’s Not In Our School anti-bullying program and how it can help your school build a culture of kindness, accountability, and support.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What are the effects of bullying on students’ performance in school?
Bullying can affect a student’s emotional well-being, sense of safety, relationships, and ability to participate fully in school. Research has linked experiences of bullying with higher rates of anxiety, depression, and difficulty focusing, and students who do not feel safe or supported may also experience difficulties with attendance and academic engagement.
How common is bullying among students in the United States?
Bullying continues to affect a significant number of young people. According to the CDC’s National Health Interview Survey, 34% of teenagers ages 12–17 reported experiencing bullying during the previous 12 months between July 2021 and December 2023.
Why might students be reluctant to report bullying?
Students may avoid reporting bullying for many reasons, including embarrassment, fear of retaliation, feeling that adults will not be able to help, or believing they should handle the situation themselves. Creating trusted relationships between students and adults can make it easier for students to seek support.
What can schools do to prevent bullying?
Schools can establish clear expectations for student behavior, provide age-appropriate bullying prevention education, make trusted adults easy to identify, offer accessible ways to report concerns, and create opportunities for students to build positive relationships and a sense of belonging.
What is the Not In Our School assembly?
Not In Our School is LockOut’s anti-bullying program, covering topics including self-worth, empathy, kindness, accountability, and recognizing and responding to bullying. Students also learn how to identify trusted adults and develop an action plan for addressing bullying.
How was the Not In Our School assembly created?
Not In Our School began with assembly leader Kevin Kimes during his time as a principal in his home district. After seeing the need for a positive, student-focused approach to bullying prevention, Kevin developed and led the Not In Our School assembly, writing and performing the accompanying song for several years at his school. He eventually brought the program to LockOut, where it would be expanded and shared with many districts throughout Michigan.
What are the Not In Our School extended assemblies?
The Not In Our School extended assemblies build on the core program by focusing on four key areas of personal and social development. Each topic is represented by a different color and gives students an opportunity to explore these concepts through age-appropriate activities and discussion:
- Orange Day: Believing in Oneself: focuses on self-esteem and personal growth, helping students recognize what makes them unique and develop a stronger sense of self.
- Yellow Day: Kindness Towards Others: explores practical ways students can show kindness and considers how their choices can contribute to a positive and supportive school environment.
- Green Day: Courage and Strength: helps students recognize what courage looks like in everyday situations and explore how they can demonstrate strength when facing challenges or standing up for what is right.
- Blue Day: Student Accountability: examines how accountability applies to students’ interactions both in person and online, emphasizing personal responsibility and the importance of taking responsibility for their actions.
How can schools learn more about Not In Our School?
Schools interested in bringing Not In Our School to their students can learn more about the program, its components, and available options on theNot In Our School program page, or contact our assembly leader at kkimes@lockoutusa.com.
Sources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
