Cyber bullying
As kids head back to school, a group representing thousands of police chiefs, sheriffs and prosecutors wants schools to guard students against cyber bullies. The good news? It doesn't cost much. Hillary Wicai reports.
TEXT OF STORY
SCOTT JAGOW: It’s back to school time and I guess, school bullies do things different these days. A law enforcement group is trying to tackle the problem of cyber bullies. From the Marketplace Work and Family Desk, Hillary Wicai explains.
HILLARY WICAI: Apparently shaking kids down on the playground for their lunch money isn’t enough. Bullies have gone digital. They use e-mail, create Web sites, and send hate mail, even death threats via instant message.
The group Fight Crime: Invest in Kids is releasing a poll today that shows one third of teens and one in six pre-teens have been victims of cyber bullying. That’s about 13 million kids.
David Kass is with Fight Crime.
DAVID KASS: “The thing that’s so harmful about cyber bullying is that it’s 24/7. You can’t get away from it. With cyber bullying you’re never safe.”
The group wants every school district in the country to put a bullying prevention program into place.
They say that shouldn’t stress even budget conscious schools. A proven training program would cost about $4,000 per district.
In Washington, I’m Hillary Wicai for Marketplace.
Latest Episodes
View All Shows
8 hours ago25:22
16 hours ago7:09
20 hours ago30:57
20 hours ago12:45
6 days ago28:44
4 months ago24:33