I agree with the author and support the Department of Education's decision. Bullying should be recognized as a serious problem and treated in stronger manner.
Here are some facts about school bulling from National Association of School Psychologists:
•Bullying is the most common form of violence in our society; between 15% and 30% of students are bullies or victims.Schools should not just be busy on making anti-bullying policies threatened by DoE. However, schools should recognize the factors and effects of bullying and run prevention programs that can educate students, teachers, and parents to create positive school environment.
•A recent report from the American Medical Association on a study of over 15,000 6th-10th graders estimates that approximately 3.7 million youths engage in, and more than 3.2 million are victims of, moderate or serious bullying each year.
•Between 1994 and 1999, there were 253 violent deaths in school, 51 casualties were the result of multiple death events. Bullying is often a factor in school related deaths.
•Membership in either bully or victim groups is associated with school drop out, poor psychosocial adjustment, criminal activity and other negative long-term consequences.
•Direct, physical bullying increases in elementary school, peaks in middle school and declines in high school. Verbal abuse, on the other hand, remains constant. The U.S. Department of Justice reports that younger students are more likely to be bullied than older students.
•Over two-thirds of students believe that schools respond poorly to bullying, with a high percentage of students believing that adult help is infrequent and ineffective.
•25% of teachers see nothing wrong with bullying or putdowns and consequently intervene in only 4% of bullying incidents.
