The Task Force is comprised of members from the Nevada Attorney General’s Office, Nevada Department of Education, Nevada PTA Assn., Nevada Teachers Assn., Nevada Legislature, and representatives from a variety of community-based organizations.

The Task Force is developing a comprehensive program that will address the issue of bullying and its effect on children. A main focus will be the implementation of programs in 3rd grade classrooms across Nevada, with the goal of changing children’s mindset towards bullying. At the same time, additional programs will be instituted at higher grade levels.

How Serious is the Problem of Bullying in our Schools?

The results of a survey of 15, 686 students from throughout the USA, published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, found that almost one-third of students in grades 6 through 10 have been involved in bullying; either as a bully or a target. Bullying is increasingly being recognized as having lasting effects on both the aggressor and the victim. Research shows that the effects of bullying persist into adulthood, with victims being at greater risk for depression, and bullies being at four times greater risk for criminal behavior.

Although it is common for adults to view bullying as normal, as a passing stage of childhood, or as a problem that children should be left to work out on their own, feeling lonely, unhappy, frightened, insecure or unsafe is not a normal part of growing up!

Children themselves have provided some of the most troubling data regarding the problem of bullying. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation “Talking With Kids About Tough Issues” survey revealed the following data:

Percent of children who say bullying is a big problem for kids in their school:

3rd - 6th graders 55%
7th - 10th graders 68%

Percent of children who say kids at their school get teased or bullied often:

3rd - 6th graders 74%
7th - 10 graders 86%