Bullying

the principle, as to how to address that on a case by case basis,” said Jeff Clance, Director of Student Services for Gordon County Schools.

“If it is very serious the first time they can certainly take that punitive action early on rather than waiting for the third time as the statute mandates.”

One of the problems school leaders face in identifying bullying has to do with non-reporting.

“A lot of times (those being bullied) are scared to report it,” Coombe said. “All offenses should be reported and addressed.”

Teachers are considered “mandated reporters” and are required to report bullying, just as they would a situation of suspected abuse outside the school walls, Coombe said.

“It’s part of their training,” Coombe said. “Every counselor goes over the law with the staff and employees.”

There are sometimes unique instances of bullying that do not involve student-to-student interaction.

Sometimes, a teacher can bully another teacher or a student can bully a teacher and visa versa.

“We provide information through human resources to make sure every employee is treated fairly and with respect,” Coombe said.

“We take all accusations seriously. A teacher can be a bully and it can fall into that umbrella of bullying.”

Abusive teachers can have their licenses revoked or even face criminal charges, depending on the severity of the issue, Coombe said.

One of the best ways to prevent bullying is to empower the bystander, according to Coombe.

“If you can educate the bystander, you can stop bullying,” he said.

“Bullies are usually doing things for attention or to assert power and there is usually a chance for someone to object.”

Teaching students to protect their classmates from bullies and to report instances of abuse to administrators is the most direct way to take a stand, Coombe said.

For more information on how Georgia is combating bullying, visit www.doe.k12.ga.us.