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The brand new Government Accountability Office report on school bullying is loaded with information. You should take a look at it. Here are some of the items from the report.
Bullying at school is pervasive. After reviewing the research on school bullying, the report notes that between 20 an 28 percent of student report that they have been bullied. That number is way high!
Bullying is costly. Among the results of peer bullying are the following: suicide; violent actions against others; depression; loneliness; low self-esteem; anxiety and higher risk for physical health consequences; and increased behavioral issues.
From a special education law perspective, the report notes that the literature finds that victims of bullying often have academic difficulties.
49 states currently have bullying statutes, but the protections, and even the definition of bullying, vary widely from state to state.
The GAO applauds some of the collaborative efforts of the Department of Education and other federal agencies, such as the joint website Stop Bullying. But the GAO felt that the agencies could coordinate their efforts better and develop an assessment of the protections afforded by the various state civil rights laws.
Here is a summary of the GAO report.
You can read the entire 64 page GAO report here.
I think the lack of a unified definition of what bullying even is accounts for much of the problem in making bullying a federally recognized offense. I can understand that it’s a difficult thing to define, but if a definition were agreed upon, things would get easier.
ReplyDeleteGood point Sarah,
ReplyDeleteJG
I live in the 50th state :(
ReplyDeleteBut it should hopefully pass this next year... Keep your fingers crossed!
PJ,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. We'll cross our fingers.
JG