Bullying and Violence Issues in Children's Lives: Examining the Issues and Solutions

Today's children may be exposed to violence in their environment, through the media, at home, and in school. Some children live in countries at war, while others survive in neighborhoods where street gangs prevail. Most parents and children used to assume they could depend upon schools to be safe places, free from abuse and violence. Now it seems that schools are not the safe places everyone thought them to be, and so it is not surprising when the media turns its attention to school violence and bullying. These news stories do make parents and the general public wonder, "Who is responsible for the children's safety at school?" In this paper, the author examines the issues of bullying and violence in schools and suggests the need for a strong, consistent coalition of students, parents, teachers, administrators, community activists, physicians, and legislators to assemble the resources and join forces to ensure each child's safety and protection. Brief overviews of eight articles about bullying and violence in children's lives are also presented.