"Once considered a teenage rite of passage, bullying is now [2013] the
subject of hundreds of state laws and a rallying cry for pundits, parents and
celebrities. The stakes are high--many teens who commit suicide experienced at
least some bullying....Coming up with a workable plan to stop bullying has
proven difficult. The approaches are all over the map....Even the definition of
bullying varies from state to state....Typically, bullying is handled at the
school level, either by working with the victim to move them away from the bully
or getting the bully into school counseling."
Typically, bullying is handled at the school level, either by working
with the victim to move them away from the bully or getting the bully into
school counseling. All 49 state bullying laws require schools to set up a school
policy to stop bullying. The state laws have set the floor, but haven't
gone beyond that, said Nancy Willard, who has worked with states to develop
anti-bullying programs and directs the advocacy group Embrace Civility in the
Digital Age. "The laws are a necessary foundation because they say we will do
something," said Willard, "but just 'doing something' isn't
sufficient."
subject of hundreds of state laws and a rallying cry for pundits, parents and
celebrities. The stakes are high--many teens who commit suicide experienced at
least some bullying....Coming up with a workable plan to stop bullying has
proven difficult. The approaches are all over the map....Even the definition of
bullying varies from state to state....Typically, bullying is handled at the
school level, either by working with the victim to move them away from the bully
or getting the bully into school counseling."
Typically, bullying is handled at the school level, either by working
with the victim to move them away from the bully or getting the bully into
school counseling. All 49 state bullying laws require schools to set up a school
policy to stop bullying. The state laws have set the floor, but haven't
gone beyond that, said Nancy Willard, who has worked with states to develop
anti-bullying programs and directs the advocacy group Embrace Civility in the
Digital Age. "The laws are a necessary foundation because they say we will do
something," said Willard, "but just 'doing something' isn't
sufficient."