Teacher Bullying and Emotional Harm: Power, Silence, and Gendered Struggles for Voice in Indonesian Schools

Abstract

Background: Teacher-to-student bullying in Indonesian schools often operates 
subtly within hierarchical educational cultures. This study aimed to examine 
how institutional power dynamics and cultural expectations shape students’ 
perceptions of bullying and their emotional well-being, with the working hy
pothesis that hierarchical norms and respect for authority influence recogni
tion, reporting, and coping. 
Methods: This qualitative study employed Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) 
with 12 participants (male students, female students, and teachers) from a sen
ior high school in Indonesia. Discussions examined teacher authority, bully
ing behaviors, and students’ emotional responses. Recordings were transcribed 
verbatim and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis, involving 
familiarization, initial coding, and iterative theme development across groups. 
Results: Participants described teacher behavior that was considered bullying, 
causing emotional distress. This study highlights how disciplinary practices, 
which function as symbolic violence, have become commonplace in institution
al dynamics, thereby inhibiting students from complaining or reporting bully
ing. This research offers a new perspective by linking power structures and gen
dered emotional responses to the persistence of bullying in educational settings. 
Conclusions: Teacher-to-student bullying is intertwined with institutional and 
cultural hierarchies that shape students’ perceptions and coping, contributing 
to emotional suppression and disengagement. Addressing it requires a compre
hensive, culturally attuned approach that strengthens institutional support sys
tems and centers teacher empathy.