Personal bullying is one of the most common forms of bullying. This type of bullying can range anywhere from spreading unpleasant rumors about the new girl to making fun of someone for not wearing the latest clothes to the extreme of nominating someone as homecoming queen as a joke.

Whitney Kopp of Michigan knows exactly how it feels to be in the spotlight of one’s cruel joke.

Kopp was nominated by fellow classmate for homecoming queen as a prank. The joke clearly hurt and upset Kropp but after seeing local business and other classmates support her, Kropp turned the whole joke around. One business donated Kropp a homecoming dress and a local hairstylist, Shannon Champagne fixed Kropp’s hair. Bullying can really be hurtful for sure, but in Kropp’s situation she showed the whole school they could not bring her down.

Cyber-bullying is another popular, yet very hurtful form of bullying.

“Cyber bullying is a form of bullying that happens with means of computers, cell phones, Twitter, etc. Many schools do not address this form of bullying because it is something that happens outside of the school campus and school day. PHS chooses to deal with those cyber bullying situations when the issue spills over into the school day causing a disruption in the learning process for students,” said Kerley.

This form of bullying happens most often through social networks such as Facebook. Cyber-bullying is when someone, usually anonymously, posts hurtful comments or messages towards another being. Thirteen year old Josh Sanchez of Buda, Texas was told through Facebook by several students that he would never make Student Council because he was the ‘n word’. Sanchez’s dad finally took the matter into his own hands after asking the anonymous posters to refrain from such language and no change was shown. Sanchez’s dad said he spoke with the principal of the school in which he said nothing could be done for the situation because it did not happen on school grounds. Charges were not pressed on the posters of the comments.

The third most common form of bullying is hazing, which is the subjection to harass or ridicule one, is one form of bullying most common in college fraternities but can occur in high schools as well.

One recent case, in La Puente High School in Los Angeles, California, resulted in four high school students and the coach of the soccer team being arrested after several freshmen claimed the older members of the team sexually assaulted. The four students accused claimed the coach had been letting the activities go on for years and he apparently encouraged the activities. One of the freshmen who had fallen victim to the hazing was claimed to have been left with PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder.

Bullying can take an emotional and physical toll on its victims. Fifteen to twenty percent of students say they have been bullied at some point in the school career according to statistics.

One third of children nationwide are involved in bullying, either as the bully or the victim. Twenty percent of students have reported they have been bullied online at some point. Seventy-One percent of teachers claim they had no idea the bullying was even happening.

Story by Brooklyn Dotts