Schools need to be more involved in preventing bullying

Many children and teenagers wake up every morning and dread going to school. This anxiety is not because of a test or project they have to do, but because they are endlessly harassed and tormented by their peers.  Recently, bullying has gotten worse with all of the new technology available. Now, bullies are not just limited to hallways and schoolyards; they can also act viciously from the comfort of their home computer.   

Although schools make an effort to prevent bullying, it is still not enough. Many schools claim to have a "zero tolerance" policy on bullying and even have guest speakers come in to speak out against bullying. However, these programs do not always work. In my high school, there were many issues related to bullying, so the school had people come in to talk about bullying. The lecturers were people who either had been bullies or victims of bullying in the past. Their stories were inspirational; however, many of my peers sat there yawning and rolling their eyes. The students who appeared unhappy to be there and were outwardly disrespectful. Obviously, the programs are not having an impact on children and teenagers who are bullies.  

Many times, bullying incidents go unreported because the student is afraid his or her tormenters will seek retaliation. This is why schools need to put in place a system where students can anonymously report anything that happens. Also, harsher punishments need to be enacted to set an example so that students will be discouraged from bullying. Schools should also try to monitor the online activities of students. Even though it is often difficult for schools to punish students for that type of issue, schools should still look into it to make sure nothing happens in the school from that incident. If schools take these steps, it will decrease the chances of students feeling so helpless about bullying that they commit suicide.