STEP 1: SCENARIO

Go to the About This Course page to learn what each of the faces represents. Please read the scenario below and click on the response that seems most appropriate. Note that there is no perfect answer provided, and each response offers feedback and a learning opportunity. Please see COPA’s recommended response.

Who Is Involved?

SCENARIO: Your child approaches you to tell you that they witnessed a physical fight last week after school. Although they appear confused and afraid, they also seem proud to have told you.

1You thank your child for having the courage to speak to you. You ask them to identify the students involved. You head straight to the principal's office to give them the names.

Affirming your child’s actions supports them and encourages them to speak to you about difficult situations in the future.

This situation is an opportunity to support your child developing their ability to be an ally. Going directly to the principal may bypass this opportunity. Strengthening the capacity of witnesses is a meaningful ingredient to the positive transformation of the school climate.

Taking your child’s safety into account when they have witnessed bullying is important as they may be “punished” by their peers for talking to an adult. This may discourage them from talking to you in the future.

2You ask your child to tell you why they waited so long before talking to you given the seriousness of the situation. You ask them to identify the students involved. You head straight to the principal's office to give them the names.

3You thank your child for having the courage to speak. You encourage them to share more information on the situation (see Module 7 for more details on strategies). You ask them what they need in terms of support to ensure their safety and ask them what they think the next steps could be. You let them know that you may need to tell the school or other parents about the situation in order to get help for the targeted young people, but that you will include them in any decision to do this.

Explanation of the recommended response.