Punishing Bullies Cannot Entirely Solve Bullying

With impending changes on various anti-bullying laws in the United States, there are still questions if these legislations can really solve bullying. Experts claim that resolving the underlying causes is the key to solving the problem.

The Guardian noted that legislation is an effective first step to address bullying, however, highlighted that it is still not enough. It was also explained that schools should be properly informed about these laws since these are places where the problem usually starts.

"All 50 states and the District of Columbia now have anti-bullying laws," said law professor Emily Suski in her The Guardian write-up. "However, bullying continues to be a widespread and pernicious problem."

She added that 2011 statistics of the National Center for Education Statistics revealed that 37 percent of Grade 6 students experienced being bullied. Suski noted that kids who are bullied are affected negatively that sometimes make their academic performance suffer and also lead to depression.

"Punishing bullies may seem like the obvious, natural response to the problem. But it does not truly address it," Suski noted. She added that there are even studies which discovered that punishments do not necessarily address or curb "bullying behavior."

According to FedSmith, bullying in school and even in the workplace can be addressed by talking about the issues and discussing it in the society. It noted that victims and possible victims should know that help is available for them.

"School officials, employers, and the military have a legal duty of care to ensure that students and workers are protected from anything that may cause harm," said FedSmith's Joyce Pratt. "Legal support is available."

The same report also discussed that people can always learn more what they can do about bullying through resources about the subject. It noted that awareness about the factors and solutions of bullying are helpful to address it.