Konocti school district deserves support for policies against bullying

The Konocti Unified School District deserves to be commended for including among policies for approval on Wednesday, Dec. 5, an outline of student conduct that specifically prohibits bullying.

School bullies are vicious predators who, rather than shy from conflict, are too often willing to inflict relentless cruelty upon their victims. Those of us who have been the victims of a bully’s persecution do not lightly dismiss its effect.

Bullying can leave lasting scars and, as one case tragically illustrated as reported by the Associated Press, can even lead to the victim’s suicide. This situation was especially egregious because a supposedly mature adult took part in persecution of the victim by masquerading as a fictional teenager who sent the victim online messages.

In a sign of being current with the times, the KUSD policy includes cyber-bullying among the prohibited behaviors but bullying still frequently involves face-to-face intimidation or put-downs.

KUSD still has progress ahead of it in ensuring that local schools are entirely free from cruelty. An article by the Record-Bee’s Tiffany Revelle that was published in early September mentioned that two children whose mother tried to transfer them into a new district school had been driven by bullying away from their previous site. But we think schools are on the right track with ongoing presentations and assemblies.

Let’s hope that district policies of conduct are enforced with immediate action and that any form of bullying, no matter the means of transmission, is met with zero tolerance.

Published Dec. 15, 2007 in the Lake County Record-Bee