Bullies To Buddies

Naples Daily News (Naples, FL): Annette Husson, the third-, fourth-and fifth-graders' guidance counselor at Laurel Oak Elementary School conducted a survey last year, and found that among students in grades three through five, the most common form of bullying is verbal abuse which includes teasing or name calling. Other bullying included physical and emotional. Collier County schools's zero-tolerance policy doesn't condone bullying behavior. A survey released earlier this month by the National Crime Prevention Council showed more than half of students witness bullying at least once a week and six out of 10 know another student who could hurt someone. The survey also found that the Internet is becoming the new bullying battleground for children using e-mail, instant messaging and blogs. One out of three students ages 8 to 18 knows at least one person who has been cyber-bullied, according to a press release from the National Crime Prevention Council. Husson said e-mail bullying hasn't been an issue, but there have been incidents of three-way calling in the past when two kids, mostly girls, talk about the third girl listening in on the conversation. According to the 2003 School Crime and Safety report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice, 800,000 students don't go to school each week because they're afraid of being bullied.