A case study on bullying in a secondary school in Atteridgeville.

The purpose of the case study is to investigate causes and factors contributing towards bullying behaviour and how these learners can be supported by the school and community in managing bullying behaviour. Factors such as violence, divorce, unemployment are supposedly affecting learners, many of whom attend school with feelings of frustration, anger and bitterness. These feelings may be acted out by bullying behaviour such as fighting, teasing, pushing and stealing. Learners are aggressive, violent, disrupt lessons, and take others’ money. This behaviour often results in learning barriers, absenteeism, high failure rates, bunking lessons and dropping out of school. Educators and parents sometimes aggravate the situation because of their own stress, and financial problems. Bullying behaviour is thus a manifestation resulting from a complex interaction of factors within the learners social context, thus the eco-systemic perspective will be utilised as the theoretical basis of this case study. The literature review will concentrate on what other theorists say about bullying behaviour, and how the school can support learners in managing bullying behaviour. Qualitative research methods were used for data collection and analysis. One secondary school was identified, and selected for use in the case study. Four individual open-ended interviews, that is, (two learners boy and girl, parent and one school management team) were conducted, and an observational protocol used. These methods contributed to the validity and reliability of the data. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, analysed and interpreted. Meanings were categorised into themes utilising a content analysis technique. Findings indicated that there are factors, such as, the family, school environment and community that contribute towards bullying behaviour in a secondary school. There are also strategies such as anti-bullying policy, buddy system and curriculum used by the school and the community to support learners on how to manage bullying.Mrs. J.V. Fouri