`Bullies: Fighting Back` - Lawmakers Join Anti-Bulling Campaign | Video

Retha Colclasure | 2/11/2011

Bullying isn`t always left on the playground. It affects kids at school, at home and online. We`ve been talking all week about bullying, taking a look at the problem and hearing from students, parents and teachers about the effects of bullying.

But are there any solutions?

There are two main kinds of bullying: physical bullying and verbal or emotional bullying. And people in the Bismarck Police Youth Bureau see all sides of it.

"We see kids that are doing the bullying, and then we see kids who have been the victims. They tend to be the kids that don`t want to go to school, that develop more depression. We see the repercussions and we see the bully," said Teresa Carrigan with the Police Youth Bureau.

Carrigan gives several presentations about bullying to students throughout Bismarck, talking about what bullying is, why they think kids bully and how they can begin making a change.

Carrigan said, "My belief is bullies do what they do, it`s intentional, it`s repeated, and it`s based on them having more power than whoever they have chosen to pick on."

Lawmakers want to give bullies another reason to stop.

"Students need to know and be told what kind of activities are simply not going to be tolerated," said North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem.

Stenehjem is sponsoring some legislation that would require schools to have an anti-bullying policy that includes educational efforts for teachers and consequences for bullies.

"Over the long term, I think this is something that will help resolve a problem that has gone on for generations," said Stenehjem.

In the meantime, Carrigan says talking with students about bullying gives them something to think about.

"Every kid has a choice in how they treat others," added Carrigan.

She wants them to make the right choice the first time.

Stenehjem says he believes people are becoming more aware of the extent of the bullying problem and are seeing it as a real issue in schools.

COMMENT ON THIS STORY

BACK TO NEWS | BACK TO REGIONAL STORIES