Experts say bullying is “low level”

WHILE experts at a congress on Coexistence and Schools in Palma insist that bullying is on a “very low level” in Spain, a school in Alcudia has sanctioned eight children accused of bullying a 13-year-old schoolgirl, who now attends classes escorted by a policewoman. It was Rosabel Rodriguez, a psychology professor at the Balearic University, who told the congress yesterday that it is not necessary to be “alarmist” about the cases of bullying. She added that problems of discipline and truancy “are much worse”. Rodriguez said that the majority of Spanish schools had had problems of truancy and lack of discipline, but few cases of bullying which “although they are serious, are minimal”. Dr Dan Olweus, of the University of Bergen (Norway), said the studies about bullying reflect that Spain is “in the middle of the list” of the 14 countries studied. The Nordic countries have the least incidence of bullying, whereas the East European countries have the most cases of bullying. Doctor Mona O'Moore, Professor of the University of Dublin (Ireland), explained that bullying “is a complex problem” which “is not just the responsibility of the teachers”.