For over a decade the nations’ schools have been fighting bullying. Bully and violence prevention initiatives have become a priority in schools as a result of the media’s focus on bullying and victimization. Schools across the nation have spent an exorbitant amount of money on purported evidenced-based bullying programs and curricula. Research suggests, however, that the effectiveness of these interventions is inconclusive. Variables such as the student and adult composition and the culture of the school impact the effectiveness of a program. This mixed-methods study looked at teachers’ and administrators’ perceptions of student behaviors. Interviews were conducted with 10 school personnel to examine the ability and self-efficacy of educators to speak to the problem, as well as their institutional support systems and forms of recourse. Recommendations were provided to help schools shape a culturally-relevant anti-bullying culture.

Keywords: bullying prevention, victimization, teacher perception, anti-bullying, violence prevention, bullying prevention program, bullying curriculum, evidence-based bullying prevention program, school-based intervention