Safety in Schools

I've been researching stories of bullying in public school.  The things I notice is that bullying in school is a huge problem and many kids end their life due to the incredible emotional distress they've experienced.  Many talk about depression, anxiety, physical symptoms like headaches and stomach aches.  I watched several videos from victims and victims families of bullying.  Somehow, it seems like bullying behavior was just something that we all experience as kids, kinda like a write of passage. I believe it has now grown at an epidemic rate now that there is texting, cell phones, internet, and school over crowding.

Many videos show people just standing around watching and doing nothing.  Recently I went into a gym locker room and there was a sign on the wall stating "NO PICTURE TAKING".  I thought, what?  Then I realized our privacy can be so violated in public places with the use of technology, cell phones, video taking and posting them on the internet.

I watched this one where parents are suing the school due to not doing enough before and after the attacks.  

I've read about students fighting back in a bullying incident only to be punished the same as the perpetrator.  Meaning both suspended for the same amount of time.  Or a mild slap on the hand.  I have mixed opinions about fighting back and consequences for this type of behavior.  I do however, believe we must raise the standard of conduct, consequences, and help towards this type of behavior.  There is legislature out there on bullying and anti-bullying in an effort to help keep our schools safe.  Here is a link to school security and the legislature.

http://www.schoolsecurity.org/trends/bullying.html

I think these are great steps towards the bullying problem.  One way we can help our loved ones be safer and self advocate for themselves is to first listen to them and teach them life skills that will help them live happy safer lives.  If your loved once comes home and shares a story about being bullied, take action and start advocating for them and help them self advocate.

Below is a link to some teaching kits to help you with teaching life safety skills.

http://www.kidpower.org/store/teaching-kit/