This article was written by students from the Bercsényi Miklós Transportation and Sports Technical School in Győr as part of the project and contest entitled “Exclusion – From Anti-Semitism to School Bullying: Examples of Enemy Creation”, which was announced by the Jewish Roots in Győr Public Benefit Foundation in 2025 for high schools in Győr and the surrounding area. The team, consisting of Mór Bánhidi, Eszter Dominika Galgóczi, and Virág Németh, and supported by teacher Judit Kozalkné Fejes, took second in the competition.
Recommendations for Combating Antisemitism and School Bullying
In everyday school life, bullying and discrimination are slowly becoming the norm…
In this paper, we would like to present the views of students at our school on bullying and harassment. We chose this topic because we have experienced bullying in our own class, as well as in the lives of students at our school, and because bullying and discrimination are slowly becoming the norm in everyday school life. To this end, we asked students at our school to fill out a Google form we created about exclusion and abuse. Before presenting our research, it was important for us to understand and clarify the basic concepts.
The term anti-Semitism refers to prejudice against Jews and the hatred directed toward them. Its most extreme historical example is the Holocaust, which involved the state-sponsored persecution and mass murder of European Jews between 1933 and 1945 by Nazi Germany and its collaborators. (USHMM)
Abuse can be interpreted in a very broad sense. In a narrower sense, we usually include only physical violence, but in reality, teasing, harassment, and threats also fall under this category. School violence, or bullying, is a form of unjustified aggressive behaviour that is repeated and intentionally directed, generally at vulnerable, isolated individuals who have difficulty defending themselves. It usually takes place in secret, not in public, and the threats involved leave no opportunity to ask for help.
Bullying is distinguished from a single act of abuse or other conflict situations (e.g., “innocent” teasing): it has a strong negative impact; the victim of bullying is unable to live their daily life due to the bully’s actions—for example, because they live in constant fear or uncertainty; the harassment is repetitive; the abuser regularly returns to the victim and repeats their actions, whether physical, verbal, or sexual; the balance of power shifts: during the harassment, the abuser always has more power (more money, is stronger, has more friends, is louder), and shows this off during the harassment. (MAZS)
We invited our school’s students to fill out a Google form we created about bullying and harassment…
We received 162 anonymous responses to our survey from students in grades 10–13. Most of the responses came from 12th graders (33.5%), while the fewest were from 11th graders (18%). The ratio of boys to girls was similar (53% boys, 47% girls). Due to the sensitivity of the topic, we considered anonymity important. Our hope was that this would encourage our peers to speak more honestly.
We were curious to know whether the students were familiar with the concept of bullying. The overwhelming majority of students (96%) knew the term. This is likely due to the fact that, unfortunately, it is a daily reality in our school life. In our graduating class, numerous conflicts arose from the very beginning, so in 10th grade, we not only had to discuss this topic repeatedly during homeroom, but our homeroom teacher also had to seek professional help by involving the school psychologist, and our school’s social worker and school nurse also gave interactive presentations on school bullying.
Three-quarters of students have experienced bullying at school…
Three-quarters of the students who responded at our school have experienced bullying at school. We were curious to know what forms this took. 73% of students mentioned teasing, and 61% cited exclusion. Because of these issues, several students from our class have switched to other schools or even dropped out entirely, forcing them to enter the labour market without a degree. This is how they try to leave the bad experiences behind them, but this doesn’t solve everything, as they find it harder to open up to others and become more withdrawn, thereby becoming new targets. That is why it is important to prevent this problem in a timely and appropriate manner.
One-third of the survey respondents had already been the target of abuse, but we believe more people would have answered “yes” if they hadn’t felt it was better not to speak up. This is also one of the major dangers of bullying: the victim does not dare to speak up or ask for help from a trusted teacher or even their own friends because they fear further exclusion from the group, being ostracized, or being seen as a traitor.
Based on the experiences described, it appears that teachers either do not notice or do not want to notice the presence of bullying. In our class’s opinion, this can be prevented if teachers try to be more empathetic, so that students feel more comfortable approaching them with their problems.
What can be done to combat bullying?
We asked the students what could be done to combat bullying and how the school could be made a more inclusive place. We received the following suggestions: one solution is immediate intervention—that is, if a teacher witnesses bullying happening in their presence, they should step in right away. Another respondent wrote: “If a teacher sees someone being bullied, he or she should support the victim, report the incident to the school administration, notify the parents, and help prevent further bullying.” It was even suggested that the teacher take the bully aside and talk to him or her.
Fewer ideas were offered regarding making the school more inclusive. One person suggested that the school should be more selective in admitting students.
Others suggested “more decisive sanctions against bullies,” starting at a younger age, both at school and at home. In any case, the fight against bullying should begin in classrooms, making it easier to discuss the issue at the school level.
We asked what a student would do if they saw a friend bullying others. It was reassuring to read that the majority would stop even their best friend if they were bullying someone, and would talk to them, or report it to a teacher or even their parents. Unfortunately, however, there are some respondents who would side with their friend and participate in the bullying. This shows that in most cases this phenomenon does not occur between just two people. Regrettably, therefore, if someone joins their bullying friend, it becomes “two against one.”
Half of the students attend classes where one or more students are singled out because of their appearance, body type, physical characteristics, background, hobbies, academic performance, religious affiliation, or gender. All these traits are what make people unique. We asked our classmates what they think leads to bullying. According to them, bullying can be caused by envy, jealousy, differences in financial status, lack of self-confidence, the exercise of power, or even a sudden outburst of anger. There are also cases where the bully does not insult and humiliate the other person for the reasons listed above, but simply because the bully was poorly raised from childhood and finds it funny when someone has a flaw, whether visible or not.
Our next question was how dangerous people consider bullying to be. From the answers, we concluded that the majority takes bullying seriously and believes it is a dangerous phenomenon that needs to be addressed. Many feel that bullying is far from just a game or teasing, but something that can truly destroy souls and communities. At the same time, there are some who still underestimate the gravity of the situation, perhaps because they haven’t experienced anything similar, or because they’ve grown accustomed to the idea that teasing at school is a “natural part” of student life.
A large number of students chose the middle option, indicating that they recognize the problem but may not fully grasp how deeply it affects people. This indifference or uncertainty is often the most dangerous, as it allows bullying to continue quietly and unnoticed. Overall, the responses show that sensitivity and empathy toward the problem already exist within the school community, but there is still work to be done to ensure that everyone understands: bullying is not only dangerous but also has serious psychological consequences. These results highlight how important open dialogue and a sense of responsibility toward one another are.
However, the answers to the follow-up question show that students do not all see the essence of bullying in exactly the same way. Most believe that bullying is fundamentally about power dynamics, meaning that one person feels more powerful, more influential, or simply “cooler” than the other. This is the typical situation where the bully tries to demonstrate his or her power and belittle the other person.
At the same time, quite a few students disagree with this and believe that bullying stems more from emotional or personal reasons: for example, jealousy, envy, or a desire for attention. In our view, this duality clearly illustrates that bullying can take many forms and is not always driven by the same intentions. The bottom line, however, remains the same: whether it involves a power struggle or a personal conflict, bullying always harms someone and must be taken seriously.
“Is it everyone’s responsibility to take action against harassment?
We began to wonder whose responsibility it is to prevent or address situations like these. We asked the question: “Is it everyone’s responsibility to take action against harassment?” We received very divided responses; many felt that this responsibility does not fall on everyone, while the majority of those surveyed answered yes.
We also asked whether it is important to talk openly about this issue. 93% answered “yes,” which is a very encouraging percentage. We asked our fellow students to explain why it is important. The following reasons were given: “So that fewer people get hurt,” “I think we need to talk about this because no one can help what nationality they were born into or what they look like. Everyone should be accepted just as we are.”
To what extent is anti-Gypsy and anti-Semitic sentiment prevalent in a larger community?
“Anti-Roma and anti-Semitic slurs” are likely to arise among students. 87% of our students have heard these expressions from their classmates. These also give rise to offensive jokes within the classroom. Of the 162 students, 119 have experienced this firsthand, but many more have certainly heard it in passing—whether in the hallway, the schoolyard, or the cafeteria. Unfortunately, the offensive use of these terms is by no means unfamiliar to today’s youth.
To what extent is anti-Roma and anti-Semitic sentiment openly present in larger communities? Today, minorities are segregated in all areas of life, a view shared by 36% of those surveyed. The remaining 63% have not experienced this or do not share this view. Many people laugh when someone makes such a remark, regardless of whether the person was put in such an uncomfortable situation because of his or her origin, religion, or physical characteristics. Such situations often lead to serious consequences. This is almost the same as if someone were physically assaulted, although some students believe the two forms of abuse are not on the same level in terms of severity. In our view, however, they are.
We definitely felt it was important to raise the question of the need for open discussion about anti-Semitism and anti-Roma sentiment. Our students’ opinions are divided: “If there is no dialogue about these hate-inciting ideas, people can be driven to extremes…”, “… a lecture or discussion wouldn’t help. People decide for themselves what and how they think; no one else can change that. It’s important to address the issue openly and not shy away from it, but talking about it with the aim of changing people’s minds would be fruitless.”
The school has a reporting system in place …
We also reviewed our school’s policy and found the following protocol and measures related to bullying: the school has a reporting system in place, whose members include all school staff, particularly the principal and vice principals, the school psychologist, homeroom teachers, the school physician, and the school nurse. The school rules set out the various key terms in detail; each case is subject to a specific procedure. These procedures have deadlines that vary depending on the situation.
This clearly shows that our school is attempting to address the issue of bullying, although the actual implementation of these measures still leaves room for improvement. This system is not victim-centred, is not sufficiently preventive, and is based solely on laws and regulations.
Our own proposals for solving the problem
We spent a lot of time brainstorming and researching effective ways to make our school safer. Read articles, watched short videos, and listened to podcasts that inspired us. Based on the conclusions we drew, we came up with our own ideas.
The vast majority of people are accustomed to and enjoy watching various types of movies. Films have been made on numerous topics, including anti-Semitism and bullying in schools. Our first idea in this regard is to establish an afternoon film club, where students watch thematic films and later discuss them—either through roundtable discussions with invited experts or by completing worksheets. If such an event were held just every two weeks, we believe it would already go a long way toward raising awareness and helping students see the issue from a slightly different perspective and understand its background. Examples of such films include: “If Anything Happens, I Love You,” “The Class,” “13 Reasons Why,” “Sandy Hook,” “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas,” “Schindler’s List,” “The Pianist,” “I Hope You Die Next Time.”
We also attended a thematic lecture and exhibitions. That’s where the idea came from: what if there were events related to this topic at school as well? We could organize field trips to memorial sites or visit exhibitions. From time to time, guests could give short, interactive presentations for the students. We could introduce various cultures through theme days.
During our research, we came across a very interesting online platform called “IWalk.” The platform essentially guides us to historical sites through interactive walks. At different locations, Holocaust survivors share their personal stories. Using this platform can greatly aid learning; such on-site walks could even be incorporated into a class field trip. Related to this is another platform with a similar focus, known as “IWitness.” Here, you can view numerous short or long interviews with Holocaust survivors. You could even watch a few of these testimonies during a homeroom class and discuss them.
Bullying in school is not limited to students; this is why we consider teacher training to be important. If our school teachers were sent for professional development even just once every 2–3 years, they could easily use new and innovative methods to help the affected students.
The topics of bullying, exclusion, and antisemitism could also be addressed within a student drama club. Students at the school could initiate the formation of an amateur drama club, in which they would select a play based on these topics with the help of a drama or literature teacher. We also consider it feasible for them to collaboratively write a play on the topic, which they would then perform for the school’s other students. Following this, with the help of the homeroom teacher, students could discuss what they saw during homeroom, and even complete a worksheet related to the performance.
SOURCES
– https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/hu/article/antisemitism
– https://mazs.hu/jaffe/iskolai-bantalmazas-bullying/
– https://youtu.be/mgElEWNDq0w?si=F1UObSN2QNJ3R4dM
– https://docs.google.com/forms/d/15qkhNUbHGVqGlqUMGG23-YTA-qU9R7qwSGZA0FoybYc/edit#responses
Ed. and EN translation: P. Krausz
Cover page: Krónika