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Bullying Among Mexican-American Children In Elementary Schools

Cailey Hockett
Salt Lake Community College

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Abstract
This Paper looks at the effects that bullying has among Mexican-American children in the salt
lake area and a possible solution to the problem. What I have gathered is information from
education forums, health forums, and conducted interviews with parents and children about
bullying and labels that have been given to them. This paper also looks at a proposed solutions
for children to achieve a bully free and label free mindset. My goal is to help children be able to
get far in life, by teaching them labels do not define them, and the ability to talk in an open and
stigma free environment. I will also take a look at obstacles that might hinder the solution of a
safe and label free environment.

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Children in elementary schools are easily influenced by their peers, what their peers tell
them, and the environment in which they learn. In a school that is multi-cultural, some kids are
already having labels stuck to them and learning that they are a certain way and they let that label
hinder them from achieving their goals. Nicole Vowell of KSL wrote in 2015 that: 17 percent
of students reported being bullied 2-3 times a month or more within a school semester. (Vowell
2015) Which means that the 17 percent that are being bullied are already having their dreams
hindered from them.
Before we can really look at changes, we must first define what bullying is. Bullying is
defined as: Unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or
perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has potential to be repeated.
(Stopbullying.gov 2016) Bullying has three main areas: verbal, social, and physical.
(stopbullying.gov 2016) all three are harmful and could lead to serious problems later in life.
There is also cyberbullying, but with expansion on technology it is hard to capture trends and
statistics accurately. (stopbullying.gov 2016)
At least 26 percent of Latino students live in fear that they will be subjected to peer
abuse. (Tejeda 2013) In June of 2012 Sebastien de la Cruz performed the Star Spangled
Banner at the NBA finals. He was 11 years old and a fifth grader. After singing the Anthem, he
got bullied online relentlessly. (Tejeda 2013) Bullying, transcends cultural boundaries,
permeating into lives of not only Latino students, but African Americans, Mentally disabled
children, children of the LGBT community, and many many other children struggling with their
own situations (Tejeda 2013)

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In order to put a halt on bullying, we must first address the issue with our children and
peers. Getting involved is a major key in the prevention of bullying. Knowing and teaching your
children that they need to be accepting of other children from all cultures. I propose that we have
bi-monthly after school activities, one that will teach children to be proud of their heritage, and
that even though some children might give them labels, labels do not define who they are as a
person. The second after school program would be at the end of the month, and it would be for
any Latino children that have been struggling with bullying. It would be a type of support group,
but we would have games, and free talk time, where the kids can tell their stories where others
can connect and adults can help.
44 percent of elementary school students reported being victimized of their ethinicity also
report bullying others for the same reason. (Pepler D. Mckenney, K. S. Craig, & Connolly, J.
2006) There is a need to address bullying, for a wide variety of reasons. Children that are bullied
at a young age, tend to have those words stick with them for longer, if not for their entire
lifetime, having their dreams and goals hindered by a few words that were spoken negatively
towards them. Bullying needs to be stopped because in some cases, it leads to the child that is
bullied, bullying others for the same reason. It has a negative domino effect of children being
labeled and them carrying it for the rest of their lives. Bullying also often leads to depression,
anxiety, and problems when they get older. (stopbullying.gov 2016)
Implenting the proposed program would not cost much, considering it would be after
school, so not taking any school time, and to aquire games and other activites, they could be
donated from the community and other bullying prevention organizations throughout the state.
The program would be move around to different elementary schools every couple months, so
other children in different schools could have the same opportunity. Im hoping that I could get

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volunteers to help with one school as I moved the program to a different school, so children
could keep getting the same safe zone, and not having it taken away. This program would be a
proposed cost of about $100 a month, if the program were to provide snacks and drinks each
time the program was run. In a bi-monthly program that is ran at the beginning of the month and
the end of the month, that would be $50 each time for snacks and drinks for the children.
Community donations would be accepted and community volunteers would be gladly accepted
and welcomed.
People of resistance could potentially be parents, children, and faculty. There have been
cases where parents dont want to admit that their children are being bullied, and might deny the
program, or say that the program is against school time. Children could be the opposition
because they are scared to go somewhere that could be safe. These children could fear that their
abuser could be there, and they could fear that going to a program like this could only make
things worse. In most cases, children have such high levels of anxiety from being bullied that
nothing feels safe to them. I was saying that Faculty could be a resistence because sometimes,
teachers look over bullying, saying that it is just children being children and they dont want to
help fix the problem.
Ignorance with bullying is how children develop those anxiety and mental disorders. If
we continue to look over bullying, the more people die. To put it bluntly, we could be stopping
suicide and the rate of rising suicides, by just speaking up and teaching our kids that everyone
has a different culture and a different background, and that being different and accepting your
heritage is what is going to lead you to a beautiful and anxiety free life.

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I interviewed people in the South Jordan community, and a few kids who attend Monte
Vista Elementary, (I tried to reach the school for an interview but they never returned the call) I
have a friend whose family is Hispanic. His father is from California (grandparents from mexico)
and his Mother who is from Mexico. She was kind enough to answer some of my questions. But
declined to have her name stated. When asked how she felt about bullying she said It is an
awful feeling as a mother and hearing your child come home crying because of what they were
told at school, just for them being different. Her son Eric was often bullied because of his
Spanish accent, and how he would sometimes respond to questions the teacher asked in spanish.
His parents encouraged both languages at home, insisting that he never let his culture be taken
away from those who oppose being different. I asked Eric about the program and his response
was one of joy. I would love to have a program like that he responded and I know many
others would like that too, sometimes we all wish for a place where we could talk about
differences and feel safe with no fear of discrimination.

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Bullying Definition. (n.d.). Retrieved August 01, 2016, from http://www.stopbullying.gov/whatis-bullying/definition/

http://www.k12.wa.us/safetycenter/BullyingHarassment/pubdocs/Race-EthnicityResearch.pdf
Tejeda, V. (2013, August 10). Latino Bullying: The Unspoken Epidemic. Retrieved August 02,
2016, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/valerie-tejeda/latino-bullying-theunspo_b_4060161.html

Vowell, N. (2015, August 8). Utah News | KSL.com. Retrieved August 02, 2016, from
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148

Interview:
Mary and Eric Casteneda of South Jordan, UT