Schools Need Bullying Awareness

Bullying has been in our society for many years. It wasn’t until the 1970s that they started studying the effects of bullying. What was once in the school backyard is now on the internet and smartphones. It has grown so much in these past years with the technology that many people are concerned about what to do about it. Bullying has grown to an alarming rate with young adults therefore all schools need an awareness program to help stop it. Bullying often starts in schools and with kids at a very young age. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry states that as many as half the children are bullied at some point during their school years. Bullying has increased in recent years mainly due to cyber bullying. According to the US National Crime Prevention Council, cyber bullying is when the internet, cell phones or other devices are used in cruelty to others by sending or posting text or images intended solely to hurt or embarrass another person. For example, a kid may not like a classmate for whatever reason and post something that is hurtful and untrue about them online for many to see. The emotional scars a child feels may be just as bad as or worse than being hit. Being bullied causes stress for many kids. Over the course of a year, nearly one-fourth of students across grades reported that they had been harassed or bullied on school property because of their race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or disability (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry). That number has jumped in 2011 to 42 percent of students mainly because of cyber bullying (Burns). Bullying affects a young adult’s self-esteem, which at times have led to tragic incidents. After constant harassment from classmates for being gay, Seth Walsh, 13 years old, hung himself from a tree (Jones).
One way to stop bullying is to take steps to prevent bullying from starting. Some ways to prevent bullying is through providing a bully policy, consequences for

Cited: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. “Bullying.” Web. March 2011. Burns, James, “Bullying statistics.” Proactive Behavioral Management. Web. March 28, 2011. Jones, Carolyn, “Seth 's Law strikes back at bullying in schools.” Chronicle Staff Writer. Web. Tuesday, October 18, 2011. Lucas, Fred, “Obama Warns About Dangers of Bullying in School and on Internet.” Washington: CNSNews.com. Web. November 2011.