When Your Bullying Referral Gets “Adjusted”

Added: 2026-05-27

[00:00:00]Hey, teach. Love the vibe in your classroom. So, I saw the referral you submitted for bullying. Thanks. The student has been targeting her for weeks, so it really needs addressed.

[00:00:09]>> Right, right, right. Great documentation. You actually change that to peer conflict?

[00:00:15]>> He's been calling her names every day and telling the other students not to sit with her. And apparently he made a group chat called everyone except Sarah.

[00:00:22]Could be framed as leadership skills.

[00:00:24]Also an opportunity for digital citizenship.

[00:00:27]>> He hides her backpack every day before math. Sounds like a scavenger hunt.

[00:00:31]Yesterday he told her if she told a teacher things would get worse.

[00:00:35]>> Classic peer conflict. So, bullying?

[00:00:38]Bullying's a really big, [clears throat] big word. This has been going on for weeks. It's literally the definition of bullying. Let me level with you. You are an amazing teacher and you get it. Our numbers are looking incredible. So, we're just calling this something else so we look better? No, no. We're addressing it with a restorative conversation. What does that mean? We're going to have a counselor pull them at lunch and talk about their feelings. The victim asked not to be near him. I've called home. I've tried problem-solving. The exclusion, intimidation, group targeting, these are real bullying markers. I look at it more of a hmm what's opportunity. For who?

[00:01:22]For the data. Oh, and one more thing. Do we stop using the word bullying in the emails? It's aggressive.