Last week is wrote about National Unity Day and this week I’d like to focus on a new report from the National Center for Education Statistics which shows an increase in students who perceive bullying as related to their disability. 

This survey, which is conducted every 2 years, focuses on students in grades 6-12. 112,000 sampled households were eligible to participate in the survey with approx. 12,500 members ages 12-18.  9.7 % of students perceived their being bullied in school as related to their disability up from 7.8 % in 18-19.  11.6 of the respondents who perceived bullying as related to their disability were male and 8.2 % were Female.  12.3 % were in the Midwest, 10.2% in the South and 4.7% in the Northeast.   In 2018-19, 9.9% of the respondents who perceived bullying in school related to their disability and Females 6.2%.  The highest area was the West with 11.2% of students perceived bullying in school was related to their disability followed by 8.8% in the Northeast, 6.8% in the Midwest and 5.2 % in the South.  

Many thoughts are running through my head.  The 18-19 survey was pre-COVID.  Did the fact that some of the students were home for 2 years prior to their return impact their actions?  Did they become less tolerant of differences because of their home schooling for 2 years.  We shall see as a future survey may attempt to pinpoint the increase in the number of students who perceive that they were bullied due to their disability. 

On a personal note, Ryan told me after he graduated from high school that he did not want to go to school because he was bullied. When I asked him why he did not tell me, he just said…Because.