One out of every four students will be bullied sometime throughout their adolescence. That fear of bullies at the school bus, bus stop, classroom, or hallways can push many children away from focusing on their academics. Eventually, they begin to fall behind in their education, and may even suffer from emotional and sometimes physical damage. For many of these bullied students, online education has been a refuge for them to escape their peers, and regain their right to focus on their education in a safe environment.
Read on to see examples of how bullied students have been successful with online learning.
Spotlight story: A Bullying Victim Turned Advocate
Timothy’s mom realized her son was using music as his muse to bullying. Not only did they work together to found the JoinOne Anti-Bullying Organization where they planned events for Timothy to reach out to kids on a peer-to-peer level, often through song and dance, but they also made the switch to K12’s Texas Virtual Academy. Read More.
Spotlight story: The Struggles of an Albino Student with Bullying
Rob Brown is an albino. People stare at him, call him names, and it’s even escalated into physical violence and being chased throughout the hallways. Rob finally decided to fight back through rapping. Read More.
Spotlight story: Defending Special Needs Kids
Before Bryn switched to Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA) she was being teased because she was friends with the special needs kids in her brick-and-mortar school in fifth grade. But she stuck up for them and told the bullies that they are people, too, who don’t deserve to be treated badly. Read More.
Spotlight story: Finding a Solution to Schoolyard Bullying
When schoolyard bullying turned daily recess into a lesson in survival, Jacob’s family turned to an online school for help. And, they’re seeing that freedom from bullying was just one of the many benefits he experienced. Read More.
Spotlight story: Bullied for Having Aspergers, Student Gets New Opportunity
Kathy King says her daughter, “endured frequent bullying, harassment and physical abuse. A time of life that should be marked by growth and exploration became a period of shame and pain. The torment caused her to shut down emotionally. She was afraid to go school. Her grades suffered. Her life lacked joy and laughter.” When she decided to enroll her in Wisconsin Virtual Academy, things turned around. Read More.
Spotlight story: The Success of Longtime Online Students
Hannah and Abby were born with cleft lips and palettes, which caused them to have a total of 24 surgeries over the years. Their mother, Christine says that they were both bullied in their brick-and-mortar school, which made it difficult to do well in school. Now they’re enrolled in Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA) and are thriving both in and out of their online school. Read More.
Spotlight story: iQ Academy Kansas Student a Budding Christian Musician
After being bullied in middle school, Kalona Pence decided to enroll in K12 partner school iQ Academy Kansas. In addition to escaping bullying, there was another big perk to being in an online school: the opportunity to pursue her Christian music. Read More.
Related Links:
- Tips to Address and Stop Bullying
- 5 Tips to Prevent Cyberbullying
- Video: 4 Steps to Dealing with a Bully
- Bullying Infographic: Two Paths of a Bullied Student
- Advanced Learner Excels Inside and Outside of School
- The Link Between Karate and Bullying Prevention
- Online Learning: A Bullying Refuge
- 6 Ways to Prevent Bullying Behavior
Read about other students in this series who do particularly well learning in an individualized, flexible, online learning environment. This seven-part series includes Advanced Learners, Elite Athletes and Performers, Bullied Students, College-Bound Students, Homeschoolers, Military Children, and Students who are not Challenged in Traditional Schools.
Featured Image © K12 Inc.