by Emily Rutherford '12
Bullying is nothing new in our world, and it seems that in today's society it is difficult to "fit in." Being different from everyone else can lead to bullying amongst peers. The most upsetting result of bullying is suicide. Bullying can be through social networking sites, instant messaging, text messages, or even face-to-face. In our schools bullying has become such a big problem that the state of New Jersey decided to take a stand against the issue in 2002. A law was created that makes it mandatory for every district in the state of New Jersey to have a policy against harassment and bullying on all school grounds.
In September of 2011, New Jersey released an "anti-bullying" law that requires all schools to report and appoint any and all bullying scenarios. The law also has the power to put those accussed of bullying on a real world trial and these bullies can be sentenced to a certain punishment. "This is a powerful message to every child in New Jersey." says co-sponsor Barbara Buono. This law has been called "the toughest anti-bullying law in the country."
As great as the anti-bullying law is, this problem will not be completely evicted; bullying is a problem nationwide. Communities that have anti-bullying programs are proven to be a more positive environment for growing children.
The act of bullying may seem fine, or even fun at the times, but the long term effects that bullying has on people can be fatal. Schools suggest that if you are a victim of bullying or have witnessed bullying of any kind then you are called to report it to a teacher, authority figure, adult, or guidance counselor. Teenagers, and pre-teens know much more than adults do of what is going on in their school, so with the help of peers, bullying can certainly be greatly decreased, if not stopped altogether.
