Jennie Withers

Jennie Withers is a graduate of Boise State University, Boise, Idaho, and currently teaches Technical Reading and Writing and Creative Writing at the high school level. She has published articles in TWIST magazine and Boy's Life magazine and contributed to Treasure Valley Teen magazine. She lives in Meridian, Idaho, with her husband and two daughters.

Hey, Back Off!

Half of U.S. high schoolers say they have bullied or teased someone at least once in the past year.

Because of the recent alarming increase of tragic suicides among youths, the direct result of repeated harassment and taunting of school children, the United States Department of Education (DOE) released a nationwide appeal to Boards of Education addressing the growing harmful issue in our schools: bullying. Many states have now signed the “Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights” to help ensure the physical and emotional well-being of today’s youth. Approximately 160,000 students in America and more worldwide avoid school each day because of the fear of bullying and 60 to 80 percent of schoolchildren face harassment intimidation.

HEY, BACK OFF! Tips for Stopping Teen Harassment by Jennie Withers with Phyllis Hendrickson, M.Ed. (New Horizon Press, September 2011) offers parents, teens and educators the first book of effective tools for combating this growing epidemic. Written in a clear, easy-to-read, teen-friendly style, this powerful read uses narrative real-life examples and stories that are relatable to teens, while incorporating strategies and coping tips for not only teens, but also parents and educators.  Among them: Teens need to look assertive, make eye contact, point out to bullies what they are doing and why they don’t like it and then walk away. Parents need to ask open-ended questions, focus on what’s happening and model assertive, not aggressive, behaviors.

The effects of teen harassment and bullying are severe and include lower academic achievement, increased anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, deterioration of health, feelings of alienation, absenteeism, self-harm and suicidal ideation. Teens often don’t want to turn in peers fearing reprisals or that they’ll be tagged as tattletales who deserve to be ostracized. Now teen victims can fight back, befriend other victims and stop the harassment.

SUGGESTED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:

•    Most of us have heard that the way to deal with bullies is to “kill them with kindness,” “ignore them” or “make them your friend.” Why won’t this work for teens?
•    Why should teens deal with harassment independently and assertively?
•    What makes Hey, Back Off! different from other bullying books?
•    How has harassment changed over time? Why is it much more insidious and dangerous today?
•    What are some good strategies when dealing with harassment?
•    When is it time to ask for help in a harassment situation?
•    How may parents know their teens are being harassed if teens aren’t talking?
•    What are some good strategies parents can use to help their teens deal with harassment?