What Parents Can Do About Bullying

I finally found an article that provides ideas about parental roles in addressing bullying.

Where Are June and Ward Cleaver When We Need Them?

This morning I listened to a discussion about the Massachusetts bullying case that is in the news. The cable news commentator and the child psychology expert from Harvard had an interchange for about ten minutes wherein they mentioned school responsibilities and on-line social communities. I waited and listened carefully and was disappointed because at no time did either person mention parental responsibility.

As I mentioned before on this blog several times, I believe there shouldn't be any discussion about children without highlighting parental involvement. Yet it seems a rare occasion that parents are acknowledge as part of children's environmental system. Schools seem to be the scapegoat for everything while parents have decreasing responsibility. Gone are the days when a teacher/principal would call a parent and the parent would work out a problem with another parent. I simply don't understand why parents are no longer responsible for the behavior of their children.

Bullying Reporting Web Site

Huffington Post is reporting on an AP story titled, "School Tip Line Web Site Lets Kids Report Bullies Incognito." The story highlights the work of a Brigham Young University student, who developed School Tip Line, a Web site for students (and parents) to report incidents by children of harassment, theft, and drugs.

According to the article, the Web site works as follows: "School administrators are made aware of any tips either by e-mail or text message, Bergener said. For some schools, students have to create a logon and password to send a tip, but they still remain anonymous, though. But in most cases, schools allow anyone to send a tip with no need to give personal information."

Nearly 50 schools in states other than Utah are using the Web site. I hope this trend grows. I have a problem with people, organizations, cities, states, and countries bullying others. In my mind I think a bully is are really saying: "I'm going to make problems I'm running from yours."