Bullying problem in Alicante schoolrooms

APPROXIMATELY 50 Alicante high school pupils were expelled or suspended for bullying in the last two months. These recently-published figures from the regional Education department apply to high schools in Alicante City.  

According to these statistics, bullying in the 14 to 16 age group is not necessarily associated with conflictive or marginalised neighbourhoods, and affects state and state-aided schools throughout the city.

Independently of the Education department findings, investigators have also found that a child of eight is twice as likely to be bullied as a 12-year-old, according to the Cisneros X report.

This comprehensive study of bullying in Spanish schools was published in 2006, although its authors claimed that these statistics are still applicable to the current situation.

Cisneros X also maintained that as pupils get older the risk of bullying diminishes but found that it began to increase once more as pupils reached the first year of baccalaureate.  This often occurred because it involved having to change schools and make new friends, the investigators said.