School officials form task force to fight bullying

Massachusetts schools are banding together to form an anti-bullying task force focusing on how to change the culture in schools, reports Newbury Port News.

The task force is not aiming to punish bullies, rather it is giving community members tools to handle the behavior. Recent events in which the victims of bullying felt they had nowhere to turn for help sparked a need for this type of program.

Furthermore, the task force is comprised of students, teachers, administrators and representatives of the local police department. Officials added that extracurricular school activities have helped students bond and form trusting relationships with adults, giving children someone to talk to if problems arise.

Boarding schools can help victims of bullying behavior by offering an environment conducive to learning and achieving academic success.

Officials told the news source that while the program cannot prevent each instance of bullying, it can help students learn from these situations and avoid repeating them. Cyberbullying is the newest form of this behavior. Kids of this generation are using the Internet and mobile phones to attack their peers.

According to a 2009 survey conducted by the Cyberbullying Research Center, approximately 7.5 percent of students reported being harassed online.