School Bullying Victimizes Children With Intelligence And Talent

A recent UK study has shown that more than 90% of British school children have experienced or witnessed bullying due to a person’s excessive talents. More than a quarter of students surveyed had quit an activity they enjoyed because of the fear of being bullied, and about half of them admitted to downplaying a skill or talent in order to avoid becoming a target for bullies.
“It's unacceptable that rather than celebrate their talent, they feel that they have to hide their gifts, purposely underachieve in crucial subjects and miss out on things they enjoy because of bullying,” Anti-Bullying Alliance Chair Ross Hendry said in a statement.

The effects of bullying also have an impact on high achieving students, especially among blacks and Latinos. "Stereotypes about black and Latino youth suggest that they perform poorly in school," study co-author Lisa M. Williams said in a statement. "High achieving black and Latinos who do not conform to these stereotypes may be especially vulnerable to the effect bullying has on grades."

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