Nationally, about 19% of students between the ages of 12 and 18 reported they were bullied in the 2021-22 school year. Topping the list includes being the subject of rumors, being called names or insulted, and physically being shoved, pushed or spat on, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Human development expert Suzanne Freedman says that working to understand other people’s behavior and extend forgiveness are keys to resolving student conflict and move forward. Citing the children’s book Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun that teaches about forgiveness,

Freedman is concerned that people think anger and sadness are negative emotions. However, allowing students to explore their anger is the first phase of the forgiveness process. Thus, to help students accept that anger is normal, she encourages educators to refer to these feelings as “uncomfortable emotions.” She has concerns that by calling these emotions negative, students begin to think that feeling sad or angry or having anxiety is not normal, which can create other issues.

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