Pushing Issue of Bullying

Parents, educators and court representatives have a goal to take control of a pushing issue in schools throughout several counties.

Bullying has been a constant issue for children primarily in the 6th grade but with the popularity of the internet “cyber bullying” is becoming another urgent issue. The goal is for the community to become more familiar on how to handle bullying problems and to have an action plan.

“Well one of the ways is to work comprehensively, instead of just trying to do individual things,” says executive director of On Task, Penny Senyak. “To work with the whole school, the courts, the community. To develop policies and programs so that every body that is an adult is saying the same thing and giving the same message to kids. Dealing with the same problems in the same way. So the kid see some consistency in what is expected behavior and what isn’t.”

Judge Cooperrider of Perry County Probate Juvenile Court Judge says, 160-thousand children do not go to school each and everyday because of bullying. She also comments that the effects of bullying are not simply confined to the school-aged children.

Cooperrider says,”Most of your people that are currently adults in prison were bullied or were the bullier. Research is pretty clear it’s a problem that needs to be addressed.”

This is the first year a seminar for bullying has been in motion and proved to be a success with more than 80 people attending. The idea of a seminar was brought on by a concerned parent who felt the school alone could not handle the stress of bullying.

Written by: Danielle Cotterman