School bullying - working to stop "a silent epidemic"

By Martin Merzer on 10/27/2010 @ 01:55 PM

Calling the problem of bullying in school "a silent epidemic," the White House and the U.S. Department of Education are pressuring local school officials to find solutions. Or else.

Federal education officials are sending letters to 15,000 schools and districts and 5,000 colleges and universities, reminding administrators that they have a legal obligation to protect students from the various forms of bullying, including harassment based on racial and national origins, sexual or gender-based differences, or disabilities.

According to an article published by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the schools now are on notice that they have a legal obligation to stop bullying and, if they don't, they could lose some of their federal aid.

“We’ve got to dispel the myth that bullying is just a normal rite of passage, or an inevitable part of growing up. It’s not,” President Obama is quoted as saying. “We have an obligation to ensure that our schools are safe for all of our kids. Every single young person deserves the opportunity to learn and grow and achieve their potential, without having to worry about the constant threat of harassment.”

What do you think? To what extent should the federal government get involved in something like this? Please join the conversation in the Comments section.