November 28, 2011 — Less bullying makes a difference in students’ and teachers’ performance. That’s one of the findings University of Virginia Curry School of Education professor and Youth-Nex Associate Director Dewey Cornell reports in a new article that summarizes the findings of the Virginia High School Safety Study, which he leads for the state’s Department of Criminal Justice Services.
In the November issue of the Virginia Journal of Education, Cornell makes a connection between good parenting and what schools can do to address bullying.
“An authoritative approach to school discipline – strict and supportive – is associated with less bullying among students as well as less teacher victimization, and lower bullying is associated with higher SOL passing rates and lower dropout rates,” Cornell said. (“SOL” refers to Virginia’s Standards of Learning tests.)
His article, “Strictness or Support? When It Comes to Student Safety, What Works for Sound Parenting Works for Effective School Management,” Cornell also notes that the threat assessment model he developed with Curry School colleagues in the Virginia Youth Violence Project is now being used in nearly 60 percent of Virginia public schools. Use of this model, he said, is strongly associated with less bullying and fewer long-term suspensions.
