Schools Taking New Steps To Battle Bullying
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A Dallas teenager – who we will call Amy – recently shared her story of bullying with CBS 11 News. "I had all the best friends," the bullying victim recalled. "It came to a point where everyone at school tried to stay away from me."
The bullying started when Amy's great aunt died, and Amy was shunned by her so-called friends. "They turned my dealing with a loss in the family," Amy said, "into me just trying to get attention from everyone else."
But the bullying did not end after school. The problem continued on the social networking website MySpace. And Amy never reported the issue to anybody. "At the time, I felt that if I did go to an adult," Amy said, "what could they do?"
Bullying can happen on the playground or online, and some DFW area schools are taking a tougher stance in order to protect students. Last year, the Dallas Independent School District adopted a 'freedom from bullying policy.' As a result, teachers and staff members will go through extensive training on how to spot and deal with bullying.
"I feel like it's going to make a huge difference for our children," said Paige Collins of the DISD's Safe & Drug-Free Schools. "They're going to be in a climate that is safer, because there's more awareness going on."
The DISD is also making sure that students know to report bullying to an adult. And, teen advocates said that the districts need to make sure that bullies face consequences. "That the school actually takes action against it, and says 'You have to keep this clean in order to be a part of that activity,'" said Missy Wall, director of the Teen CONTACT program, a nonprofit that does in-school presentations about bullying.
If bullying does not stop, Wall said, the victims can become isolated, depressed and even suicidal. "For 15-year-olds, it's the second highest cause of death," said Wall.
Amy had suicidal thoughts and has since sought treatment for depression. She is doing much better now, and will be heading off to college soon. But first, she has a message for other students who think that bullying is not a big deal. "Something that might seem small or just a joke," Amy said, "might be harmful to someone else."
