SPECIAL REPORT
Facing Bullies Head On
Training available to provide student transporters with strategies to avoid bullying trauma, as incidents persist in and out of schoolyards Written By Julie Metea
Ben Belnap, Ph.D., the associate superintendent of student wellness at Utah’s Park City School District, teaches an “ASPEN on the Bus” class on how to address student bullying.
T
he two-year, COVID-19 pandemic has result- ed in patchy school attendance whether at the school building or at home while learning virtually. However, old-fashioned schoolyard
bullying has remained a consistent trend among student populations no matter where they are sitting for class. Minority student populations, such as those with spe-
cial needs or LGBTQ identities, are among the highest risk groups for bullying targets. By law, these students are federally protected from discrimination, but that doesn’t deter bullies who violate the rights and well-be- ing of others. “It’s sad but bullying happens. There are very few safe
havens unless a teacher, a school or a district is do- ing something about it,” said Dr. Ben Springer, Ph.D.,
24 School Transportation News • MARCH 2022
a nationally certified school psychologist with the Wasatch County School District in Heber City, Utah, and the creator of the training program ASPEN on the Bus: Managing Aggressive Behaviors. “Without safe havens, supervision and structure, students are left to fend for themselves, and I think we all know how that ends.” Bullying victims are more likely to experience depres-
sion, anxiety and other health issues. Many victims drop out of school. Suicides and recent school shootings are known to have origins in bullying incidents, which is heightening public health concerns. Bullying means intentionally or knowingly commit- ting an act that endangers the physical health or safety of another person. Such aggressive behavior is intended to cause harm or establish an imbalanced relationship,
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