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Bullying
Cliques
Cliques (say: klicks) = A close group of friends that is exclusive; not all people who would like to join are accepted. Members of cliques share similar interests and goals. Cliques can be seen as powerful, often including the most popular kids and attracting attention from classmates. To gain power, clique leaders often switch back and forth between making their "followers" – clique members – feel good and then cutting them down.
Did you know that cliques often bully others? When cliques become exclusive and purposely leave out others as part of their circle of friends, this can cause hurt feelings. This is a type of bullying. Keep in mind that it is not bad to have a close group of friends. Yet, leaving out others from your group on purpose and picking on them is bullying!
Content last updated June 25, 2008
