Bullies will pick on the kids who don't stand up against them because it's less trouble to do so. Therefore, teaching kids how to stand up for themselves puts them in a better position in the long run, even if they get beaten in a fight they will not be bullied any longer.
It would be more effective to consider fixing the source of the problem by using viable methods for emotional handling on all students such as cognitive behavioral therapy at an early age. This would work because both bullying and victimization from bullying are emotional responses.
Reducing bullying as a whole is a better tactic to solve this problem in the long run. Better hallway/classroom monitoring could help, or increasing staff/student ratios.
Teaching kids good communication skills (such as saying "so what?" to insults, killing bullies with kindness, showing genuine compassion to bullies) can be a more effective way to prevent a child from repetitive bullying.
Fighting verbal bullies with violence as an adult is a crime, and we should not be teaching our kids to be criminals. Learning how to deal with the bullies of the world, and cope with hate, is an important part of growing up.
It would be more effective to consider fixing the source of the problem by using viable methods for emotional handling on all students such as cognitive behavioral therapy at an early age. This would work because both bullying and victimization from bullying are emotional responses.
shaftstroker
