State Lawmakers Go After Bullies

this is great to hear. I was bullied really bad in school too.

A law like this is good, if some one could explain what the law actually is. It doesn't state it in the article. One must be very careful to make sure that the teachers or the school boards involved don't over react or make a criminal out of the victim as the so often do and punish the wrong person.

Hans wrote:

A law like this is good, if some one could explain what the law actually is. It doesn't state it in the article. One must be very careful to make sure that the teachers or the school boards involved don't over react or make a criminal out of the victim as the so often do and punish the wrong person.

I agree. I work in the school system and 9 times out or 10 the victim is punished along with the bully and I have even seen instances where the victim has to spend detention with the bully. More often than not the victim is seen as some how egging on the bullying which is almost never the case.

We must teach bystanders how to become involved without worrying about retaliation. Holding any individual accountable for their actions is an excellent place to start. Also, getting some administrators to take bullying seriously is a challenge. www.stoppingschoolviolence.com

"You have to change the climates in the schools," said Bill Nigut, the ADL's Southeast Regional Director. "You have to teach people to respect one another, and that's what we're all about."

Finally someone is seeing the real problem...NO RESPECT! That is the root problem of many of the stories we see and hear everyday in the news and in our own communities. The majority of the younger generations today have NO RESPECT for anyone including themselves. It is time we start teaching respect again...self respect first, then respect for those in authority, for our elders, and for our peers. Additionally, it is time for those in authority to start acting in such a manner that they are worthy of that respect.

I believe there are bullies and I also believe they need to be dealt with. When I was in high school, I was five feet eight inches tall but only 122 pounds. A perfect target for bullies but what they did not know is that I had been taught how to fight. Each time I was picked on, I beat them up and taught them a lesson at the same time.

But not everyone has the basic inclination to be a fighter and the law has to protect those who cannot protect themselves and should not have to protect themselves in the first place.

That said I have a hard time believing the statistics in the article. It says that an estimated 100,000 kids bring guns to school each day. Where did they get this figure? I bet it was out of thin air. The claim that 160,000 students miss school each day because of bullies needs to have a footnote. Where did this figure come from? To top it off, who is going to believe someone named Dr. Bunny Campbell when she says we are in the middle of a true epidemic when it comes to violence in our schools? Her name sounds like a cartoon character.

Years ago, Gwinnett Literacy Action came out with a percentage of Gwinnett residents who they claimed were illiterate. They got their percentage by using the U.S. census and assumed everyone who had not finished high school was illiterate. What a joke. I had been a high school drop out and when I decided to go to college all I had to do was pass the GED and take the SAT. The University of Georgia accepted me when I applied.

Being a high school drop out does not mean you cannot read.

My point is this, when numbers are thrown around, they out to be backed up with supporting facts. I bet, in this case, there are none.

I'm sorry, but at our high school, no law is going to help unless these kids are turned over to the police. The bullying I've come across is by the kids who play sports and the school is WAY more forgiving to their athletes than any other kids. It's sickening how they will stick up for one another on Friday night defending a goal line but treat each other like crap the rest of the time. No one does anything to stop it. I know a kid who was sucker punched and got a black eye and a bloody nose from a bully because he got in, what the bully thought was "his seat" on the bus after a game. Both boys received the same punishment from the coach. Which was just 1 game suspension and bear crawling for a week. That punk should have been arrested and charged with assault and would have if it had happened anywhere else!

I used to be horribly sexually harrassed at my high school.
Today, I hear kids saying things that kids should not be aware of. I was picking my son up from school yesterday, I drove around the pick-up area and I heard a 2nd grader saying to a little girl, "I'm going to kill you!" I quickly informed a teacher. Where are kids learning to be this mean? I have thought about this question many times and I have come to one conclusion. It has to start at home. Parents just do not care anymore, and then if you say anything to them about their child they become all defensive...But, I think you should hear it, you are horrible parents if your child needs to bully someone else to feel better about themselves.

Again I say...R E S P E C T!!!!

Without it we are going nowhere.

TLS51 wrote:

"You have to change the climates in the schools," said Bill Nigut, the ADL's Southeast Regional Director. "You have to teach people to respect one another, and that's what we're all about."
Finally someone is seeing the real problem...NO RESPECT! That is the root problem of many of the stories we see and hear everyday in the news and in our own communities. The majority of the younger generations today have NO RESPECT for anyone including themselves. It is time we start teaching respect again...self respect first, then respect for those in authority, for our elders, and for our peers. Additionally, it is time for those in authority to start acting in such a manner that they are worthy of that respect.

you singing this song everywhere, you go get em

hiya t

TLS51 wrote:

Again I say...R E S P E C T!!!!
Without it we are going nowhere.

I also hear about people saying the problem is that the younger generations are to blame. But whose responsibility was it to teach respect to the children? When a kid goes on a rampage they want to blame violence in the media. However, isn't it the responsibility of the parents, members of previous generation, to teach respect?

As I understand Ga. SB 461, it deals primarily with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth(LGBT)Issues.

In my opinion, the wording of the subject matter should be "Every citizen who is enrolled as a student, or an employee of any institution established for educational purposes" shall not be exposed to any form of bulling by any other citizen, while on the property of the institution.

This removes any ambiguity in the meaning of the LAW, and the punishment should be extended to include the parents or legal guardians of any citizen found guilty of the act of bulling another citizen.

Just my thoughts on this matter.

TLS51 wrote:

Again I say...R E S P E C T!!!!
Without it we are going nowhere.

you are so right but also invole the cops too. I dont think jail time would be a bad ideas too. Teaching them respect is the best way too many people need to learn how to treat there fellow man or woman

AreYouSureIt WasIce wrote:

<quoted text>
I also hear about people saying the problem is that the younger generations are to blame. But whose responsibility was it to teach respect to the children? When a kid goes on a rampage they want to blame violence in the media. However, isn't it the responsibility of the parents, members of previous generation, to teach respect?

another good point go get them crazy parents that don't teach their sons and daughters about how to behave....don't blame the media, these folks bring it on themselves.

yuppie island wrote:

what about when the state lawmakers are the bullies? www.yuppieisland.com

You are absolutely correct. The example of "respect" should be exercised and set, by our elected Public Servants and Trustees.

BTW, your link does not respond. It could be my PC, but all I get is a blank page.

AreYouSureIt WasIce wrote:

<quoted text>
I also hear about people saying the problem is that the younger generations are to blame. But whose responsibility was it to teach respect to the children? When a kid goes on a rampage they want to blame violence in the media. However, isn't it the responsibility of the parents, members of previous generation, to teach respect?

You are absolutly right...RESPECT BEGINS AT HOME.

and yes Hippy, I'm preaching respect this morning.

It's about time. You'd have thought this would have been enacted way back in 99 after Eric and Dylan shot up their school, but NO.. we have to wait almost nine years for people to wake up and realize this is a dangerous situation for our children and it's getting worse.

TLS51 wrote:

<quoted text>
You are absolutly right...RESPECT BEGINS AT HOME.
and yes Hippy, I'm preaching respect this morning.

sing it sister, let em know about personal responsibility too...man that really gets em hoppin mad....govment sposed to fix that, feed me, house me and so on and so on, it is a two part problem they have no respect for themselves and lose any objectivity on personal responsibility.....right on!!

yuppie island wrote:

what about when the state lawmakers are the bullies? www.yuppieisland.com

Thanks Yuppie...but no one is interested in your Tie Website

If this law is passed schools will no longer to 'hide' child abuse by teachers either. It will mandate that schools must call police.

This law will mandate calls to the police if we all call our lawmakers today.