How are different groups, such as ethnic minorities and disabled pupils, affected by bullying?
Some studies have looked at whether being part of a particular group makes it more likely that a child will be bullied. Unfortunately some studies have found that being part of a minority group can make it more likely. Racism and bullying are very closely related. In schools, it can sometimes be difficult to decide where one ends and the other begins. These studies show that being a member of a minority group increases the risk of being bullied in certain situations. If all minority groups are educated in separate schools, any resulting trouble might be described as ‘conflict’ rather than ‘bullying’. Even where children are completely separated in this way, sub-groups can become a target. In one school where all pupils had some degree of sight loss, the minority who were completely blind were picked on by children who were partially sighted.
