Bullying must be stopped - now!

As school officials and school boards wrestle with the issue of bullying across the nation, I believe they are missing a very critical element. As adults talk and talk about this, students continue to go to school every day facing the bullies with no immediate answers to this critical dilemma. While there are no easy answers, we do need an answer now for our children and grandchildren! Then it's fine for all of us to figure how to change the climate and culture in our schools, but of course that takes time - too much time for this immediate problem.

The recent editorial in The Press was excellent, possibly one of the best I have read on this issue. It discusses how parents are the key people in the lives of their children as they set behavioral examples. I agree. However, when our children go to school teachers and administrators take on a huge role in this regard. What the teacher says and does becomes the primary example in many children's lives. Whether displaying anger and frustration or how to deal with bullying, their words and actions affect children in very critical ways.

So, we must return to in loco parentis - Latin for in the place of the parents. Schools must give dedicated teachers total control of all aspects of students' lives from the time they leave for school until they return home. This is important because school personnel are basically in charge of a student's welfare and safety while on a bus or among other students on the way to and from school. This also includes recess, lunch and passing times for older students. Bullies are otherwise able to take advantage of this "no man's land." Teachers are the most likely to hear about incidents during these times.

In fact something in the Press makes me take this idea of school responsibility a step further after reading that communication between school and home has been lacking. This is inexcusable. School personnel must communicate with the home about any incidents of concern regarding a student. And, of course, parents should do the same. The "step further" is in the area of the electronic media. Bullying via computer or phone must receive the immediate attention and action on the part of the school and all parents involved.

So what action should be taken? Bullying is so serious and destructive that it must be treated with the utmost seriousness so that it never occurs again. Serious bullying incidents should be handled by the top administrator - it's not a misdemeanor! I have been a top school administrator for many years and such incidents received my full and immediate attention. Parents were immediately involved and the harshest punishment was administered. Since we've abandoned corporal punishment some think the ultimate should be suspension or expulsion.

I disagree. Suspension or expulsion plays into the hands of the bully. They have more time to plan their revenge and to develop sympathetic support among peers. As we do in our prisons, a bully must be isolated for a period of time. They should be transported by their parents to and from school and spend the entire day in the top administrator's office area while being required to keep up with studies and receive counseling until school officials are satisfied that the matter is concluded to the benefit of all parties.

Admittedly, having served in private schools where I could use the ultimate (corporal) discipline gave me a huge advantage over those in public schools. The underlying key is that my school and the parents acted in concert. Only a few chose to withdraw from the school rather than undergoing the punishment. I never expelled a student because I figured that if I didn't reach them, the law would have to deal with them later.

Bottom line, as one who always loved going to school, I can't imagine being afraid. Fear destroys peace, happiness and the ability to learn. While we all work at changing the culture in our schools we must be proactive immediately for the sake of our precious children who may be victims right now.

Jim Korver is a Coeur d'Alene resident.