Jessie Klein - The Bully Society: School Shootings and the Crisis of Bullying in America’s Schools (Intersections, 6)

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The Bully Society

INTERSECTIONS

Transdisciplinary Perspectives on Genders and Sexualities
General Editors: Michael Kimmel and Suzanna Walters

Sperm Counts:
Overcome by Mans Most Precious Fluid
Lisa Jean Moore

The Sexuality of Migration:
Border Crossings and Mexican Immigrant Men
Lionel Cant, Jr.
Edited by Nancy A. Naples and Salvador Vidal-Ortiz

Moral Panics, Sex Panics:
Fear and the Fight over Sexual Rights
Edited by Gilbert Herdt

Out in the Country:
Youth, Media, and Queer Visibility in Rural America
Mary L. Gray

Sapphistries:
A Global History of Love between Women
Leila J. Rupp

Strip Club:
Gender, Power, and Sex Work
Kim Price-Glynn

Sex for Life: From Virginity to Viagra:
How Sexuality Changes Throughout Our Lives
Edited by Laura M. Carpenter and John DeLamater

The Bully Society:
School Shootings and the Crisis of Bullying in Americas Schools
Jessie Klein

School Shootings and the Crisis
of Bullying in Americas Schools

Jessie Klein

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY PRESS
New York and London
www.nyupress.org

2012 by New York University
All rights reserved

References to Internet websites (URLs) were accurate at the time of writing.
Neither the author nor New York University Press is responsible for URLs that may have expired or changed since the manuscript was prepared.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Klein, Jessie.
The bully society : school shootings and
the crisis of bullying in Americas schools / Jessie Klein.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 9780814748886 (cl : alk. paper)
ISBN 9780814771495 (ebook)
ISBN 9780814763711 (ebook)
1. BullyingUnited States. 2. Bullying in schoolsUnited States.
3. School shootingsUnited States. 4. School disciplineUnited States. I. Title.
BF637.B85K584 2011
302.3430973dc23 2011039377

New York University Press books are printed on acid-free paper, and their binding materials are chosen for strength and durability. We strive to use environmentally responsible suppliers and materials to the greatest extent possible in publishing our books.

Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To my children, my husband, and my mother,
and to my father and his brother, my uncle,
in loving memory

I was inspired by so many people as I was researching and writing this book. Here, Ive tried to thank those most directly involved. I can only hope that if I have understated or neglected to mention anyones contribution, they will know in their hearts how much I appreciated their support.

I am grateful to several friends who read complete drafts or selected chapters of The Bully Society and provided excellent comments, questions, suggestions, and other feedback: Shari Cohen, Beth Fertig, Jean Halley, Anne Kornhauser, Nadine Lemmon, Helaine Olen, Michael Putnam, Laurence Sachs, Deborah Siegel, Maia Szalavitz, and especially David Lipsky, who contributed epic personal help and sharp, critical feedback along the journey, and Michele Wucker, my shining star, who read through the manuscript more than a few times, always providing superb aid.

Nothing I can say is worthy of Jean Casellas editorial and emotional support, her incredible heart, talent, devotion, and hard work. Jean read every page of The Bully Society of almost every draft, cared authentically about the issues it raised, and gave brilliant and meticulous feedback at every turn. Looking forward to Jeans insightful responses, I never felt alone in the many hours I spent writing and rewriting.

The suggestions of my New York University Press editor, Ilene Kalish, improved the book significantly, and editorial assistant Aiden Amos was particularly effective in moving the book along its best possible path. Elisabeth Magnus did a fantastic copyediting job; and Despina Gimbel managed the project with a touching combination of kindness and expertise; Martin Tulic contributed a comprehensive index.

My research assistant, Gaia Fried, was extraordinarily helpful, especially on issues relating to race. Talitha Douglas worked tirelessly and with extreme care to help transform the reference style in the book, just in time, and Jamilah Maiga helped finish that job. My students at Adelphi University and at CUNY/Lehman College contributed thoughtful comments and questions, as did all the people I interviewed for this bookstudents, parents, teachers, administrators, and colleagues. I hope, as they do, that their participation will contribute to eradicating school bullying in the future.

I am grateful as well to all the people from Humanities Preparatory Academy and the two Camp Thoreausexceptional examples of the compassionate communities that ground this book and illustrate the tremendous potential inherent in helping people thrive and care about one another.

Very special thanks to my mentors, whom I love deeply: Stanley Aronowitz, Lynn Chancer, and Michael Kimmel, who read and enthusiastically supported early drafts of The Bully Societyproviding invaluable feedback. Stanleys friendship, writings, wisdom, and intellectual passion are a constant source of inspiration. He introduced me to many of the most scintillating books, theories, and people that have helped shape my thinking, and he continues to do so. Lynns scholarship has had a significant impact on my perspective and this book; her generous collaboration launched my career, and her belief in this book helped make it happen. She is a cherished friend and an extraordinary support, and I am eternally grateful to her. I felt so honored when Michael, my hero, read my first publication and made the effort to find me. Since then, as a loving friend and phenomenal colleague, he has done everything possible to make sure my intellectual contributions, including this book, are further published and widely read. I adore him.

My dear friend David Callahan encouraged me when I was discouraged and motivated me further when I was already exhilarated. David is a friend in the most beautiful sense of the word. I thank him for carefully reading every page and for providing such profound and acutely targeted feedback. Dave has encouraged me to publish a book since we met in collegeand has never failed in his confidence that I would accomplish this and many other great things. A friend that sees and fosters your strengths and potential when they are less visible to yourself is a rare gem, and I am grateful every day for the love and support Dave has shown me over almost thirty years. Thanks also to Davids mother, Sydney Callahan, without whom I might never have discovered my love and passion for sociology.

I am grateful to the many friends, students, and relatives who shared important ideas, information, and help, especially Vincent Brevetti, Monique Daniel, Stephen Lewandowski, Maxine Grant Steele, Katherine Stevens, and Adrian Stone.