Switched-On Magazine

In the past decade, the consequences of persistent and particularly intense bullying have caught the attention of parents, school administrators, and students themselves. These consequences include everything from violence perpetrated against the bullies and their supporters and the suicide of the bullying victim (sometimes both can occur). How can these tragic results be prevented? In light of the media frenzy surrounding such cases as the suicide of Phoebe Prince, who was 15 years old at her death, some have been calling for more stringent anti-bullying legislation.

Propositions for anti-bullying legislation varies from state to state, but some people are pushing for the passage of legislation that would make bullying behavior subject to criminal charges and other punitive measures. If passed, this type of legislation would, according to supporters, discourage bullying from happening in the first place. In certain states, bullying is treated similarly to harassment cases. Though many legislators agree that bullying behaviors should be curbed, they are divided over whether bullying should be considered as criminal behavior with punishments similar to those given for harassment.

With cyber-bullying becoming a growing phenomenon, children today are bombarded with more of the torment that bullies haul upon them than did previous generations. Parents of children who have been cyber-bullied and other parties have suggested that cyber-bullying be addressed specifically in proposed anti-bullying legislations. They argue that in order to curb cyber-bullying, the sites on which bullying occurs (such as Facebook, MySpace, among others) should be held responsible for preventing bullying behaviors on their networks from becoming too blown up. Those opposed to such an aspect of anti-bullying legislation feel that this would be restricting free-speech on these sites.

Even with these laws, can bullying really be stopped? How do you identify bullying behavior if there are no clear-cut definitions of it? The consequences of bullying, those opposed to anti-bullying legislations that make bullying a criminal offense argue, can be avoided if children are taught not to become tormentors of their peers in the first place. Anti-bullying programs have been suggested in place of legal punishments for bullying. These programs would mandate classes that would teach students ways to overcome bullying, both when they are victims themselves and when they are the bullies. Such programs would also mandate schools to act when bullies are identified, and to send them to counseling to help mitigate their tormenting behavior.

Amidst all this debate over whether or not bullying should be punishable by law, one must not forget the victims of bullying. Bullying, of any type, can lead to or exacerbate depression, anxiety, among other issues in the victim of bullying. When bullying today can lead its victims to death, we must no longer treat the issue simply as a "rite of passage", but rather as a serious public issue that can affect the lives of an entire community.