This was written by Dana Smith, of Waddington, N.Y. ,a member of
the St. Lawrence-Lewis Board of Cooperative Educational Services
and a member of the board of directors of the New York State
School Boards Association. By Dana Smith Bullying is, obviously,
a problem in our nation’s schools. Sometimes it leads to
suicides or lawsuits, and that ends up making headlines.
Bullying can also coast under the radar of adults in the form of
social ostracizing, taunting and catty postings on the Internet.
Bullying can and does happen in cafeterias, auditoriums,
gymnasiums and school recreation areas. It can happen during
chorus rehearsal, extracurricular activities and even advanced
placement classes. I now realize that I was bullied on many
occasions when I was a student in a small, upstate, rural
central school. I was short and “big boned” in stature and came
from a poor socio-economic family. I can remember putting on my
clothes in the morning and knowing that I would be viewed
differently by my classmates and the ot