411: How Can Schools and Communities Collaborate to Prevent Bullying
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My guest
Dr. Shileste Overton Morris serves as the Chief Programs Officer at the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit and the Director of the Center for Schools and Communities. The Center delivers national, state, local, and international services that build capacity in schools, districts, and organizations supporting children, youth, and families. Dr. Overton Morris’ expertise includes strategic leadership, parent engagement, belonging, and education leadership. She serves on multiple statewide and national boards. In addition, she is an adjunct professor at Temple University, College of Education and Human Development.
Summary
In this episode, Dr. Overton Morris discusses the complex and evolving nature of bullying in schools, emphasizing that it is less about individual “bad actors” and more about systemic conditions and power dynamics. Drawing on decades of experience in school safety and social-emotional development, she explains that bullying involves repeated behavior and an imbalance of power, now amplified by technology and social media, which extend harm beyond school hours and increase its reach and permanence.
Dr. Overton Morris highlights that modern bullying includes not only physical and verbal aggression but also relational aggression—such as exclusion, rumor-spreading, and digital harassment. She underscores how adolescents’ underdeveloped executive functioning contributes to impulsive and harmful online behavior, sometimes with serious legal consequences.
A central theme is that effective prevention requires a comprehensive, consistent, whole-school approach. Schools that implement structured frameworks—such as social-emotional learning, positive behavior supports, and restorative practices—can significantly reduce bullying. These approaches depend on aligned adult behavior, proactive monitoring, and a strong, inclusive school climate.
She also stresses the importance of equipping all school personnel—not just teachers—to recognize warning signs and intervene early. For parents, active listening, observation, and partnership with schools are key.
Ultimately, Dr. Overton Morris argues that bullying prevention is “adult work”: it depends on the environments adults create, the behaviors they model, and their willingness to consistently address harmful conduct.
Takeaways
Bullying prevention isn’t about reacting to incidents—it’s about intentionally creating environments where bullying is less likely to occur, which depends on consistent, aligned adult behavior and system-wide commitment.
Links
Center for Schools and Community
Referenced
Interview with Dr. Dana Milakovic: Nurturing the Emotionally Safe School Environment
Leading with Dignity: How to Create a Culture that Brings out the Best in People by Dr. Donna Hicks
The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program
Trauma in the Schools podcast series