Bullying and Cyberbullying

An increasing share of K-12 schools in the United States are reporting incidents of online bullying, sometimes with tragic consequences. Victims as young as 8 have taken their lives after being persecuted by mean-spirited rumors and personal attacks posted on social media sites. Bullying victims also are more likely than other students to bring a gun to school, sparking renewed debate over whether states and schools are doing enough to prevent harassing behavior. As recent court rulings show, however, policymakers and school administrators face big challenges in crafting anti-bullying laws and policies that do not violate students' free-speech rights, especially when bullying occurs off-campus. Parents are filing lawsuits that claim school officials failed to protect their children from bullies. President Trump's critics, meanwhile, contend some students have mimicked his anti-immigration rhetoric in taunting minority classmates. Bullying also continues to be an issue for adult victims, affecting millions of workers, especially women, in offices and factories.