The world will be a perfect place if we just pass anti-bullying laws that outlaw bullying, incivility, intolerance, dirty looks, disagreements that are not pleasant, and just about anything else that is not Kumbaya. At least that seems to be the perspective of anti-bullying activists who have jumped on the bullying bandwagon the past few years. […]
Blog Archives
Why legislation won’t stop bullying, online or otherwise
State and federal anti-bullying laws are unnecessary and ineffective. This doesn’t set well with many anti-bullying, civil rights, and other political activists and advocates lobbying for state and federal laws. But what is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular. A recent Plain Dealer newspaper article (CSU symposium attendees seek […]
What a Victim’s Father & a Former Bully Can Teach Us about Suicide
Andy Lehman was an honor student, scholarship semifinalist, musician, and math whiz. Andy was repeatedly harassed, pushed, called names, and not allowed to sit down on his high school bus. In September of 2006, he took his life. The student who bullied Andy, Kirk Zajac, now teams up with Andy’s father, Nicholas, to talk at schools about stopping […]
Bullying: Parent or School Responsibility?
Who is ultimately responsible for school bullying – parents, schools, the victims? CNN’s Rick Sanchez and I had a lengthy on-air discussion yesterday afternoon on bullying, the roles of teachers and parents, who is responsible when a bullied teen commits suicide, and what parents can do to support their children who may be bullied or […]
School Anti-Bullying Laws Are The Wrong Approach
School anti-bullying laws ‘sound good and feel good, but they provide little-to-no new resources to educators. High-profile bullying incidents, including a number resulting in victim suicides, have fueled calls for more state and federal anti-bullying laws. The latest school bullying case in Massachusetts resulted in the death of 15-year-old Phoebe Prince and criminal charges against nine teens. […]