As children, most of us can remember at least one painful experience when we were the targets of the school bully. This may have occurred in elementary or junior high school when there always seemed to be one group of kids who made terrorizing their classmates the prime reason for their school attendance. There didn't appear to be any pattern or discernable motive to picking on certain kids. However, if you happened to be a small child, overweight or non-athletic, there was a greater possibility that you'd be singled out for taunting and threats.

I can't remember any incidents where the bullies meted out physical injuries. In my day, most of the abuse was verbal taunting and implied threats of physical harm if you didn't turn over your lunch money, a fancy book cover or new pen. Most of the kids that were constantly bullied gravitated to other kids for support and protection. To my knowledge, none of the victims that I knew went to the school officials for help. As the school year progressed, many of the most offensive bullies generally met their match and discontinued harassing other students. Small percentages graduated to serious crimes outside of school and were dealt with by the legal system.

In retrospect, many of the bullies that I knew came from families where there was a history of parental abuse, alcoholism and criminal behavior. These kids were acting out what they saw in the home. Their behavior in school was not surprising when compared to the environment in which they were being raised.

Today, this does not appear to be the situation. Violence in schools has escalated to epidemic proportions and created serious administrative and fiscal issues for many school systems.

This is not just an issue for inner-city schools. It permeates the upper income communities and is not restricted to any racial or socio-economic group. Those committing the most egregious bullying are equally distributed among boys, girls, low-income kids and students from wealthy homes. It's no longer a rite of passage to be targeted for verbal abuse by the school bully. There are entire gangs that systematically abuse other kids in an organized and methodical manner. Many schools have resorted to guards, surveillance cameras, restricted areas and safe zones where kids can move about the school and grounds more safely. Is this the education system that we envision for our children?

According to Michael Craven, an executive with the National Coalition for the Protection of Children, a survey of 500 teens nationwide indicated that more than 65% of the kids had reported incidents of bullying that had gone unreported in their schools. What's even more frightening is that less than 35% of the kids reported these events to school officials. Many kids are afraid to report these incidents for fear that they will be targeted for retribution and more attacks. It also does not appear that many parents are aware of how serious some of these incidents have become.

According to a study done by the University of Michigan School of Education, 20% to 25% of the kids that they surveyed reported that they were the victims of racial or ethnic harassment during the school year. I wonder if these figures are actually too low because some kids are afraid to report these events to their parents or school officials.

What can church leaders do to help improve the situation?

I think that today's church-sponsored youth programs are an excellent source of education and support to help kids understand and deal with this problem. I don't doubt that most of the kids who take an active role in their church youth groups have either seen, or been the victims of, bullying. The question is – what have they done about it?  Are these kids secure enough to tell their parents or school officials about these incidents? Peer pressure on kids today is tremendous. There's constant pressure to associate with the right group. No one wants to be isolated or alone.

But, do kids have someone to confide in when they feel threatened by bullying and acts of intimidation in school? I'm not sure that they do. This is where youth ministers, pastors and other teenagers involved with a youth group can offer kids a safe haven. These kids need someone who will listen to their problems without prejudice or fear of further attacks.

Churches have an opportunity to address the issue of bullying in an environment that will help all kids deal with the problems and make them feel that they have a safe place to go for help and support. 

Every church, and youth program, should have a formal process for educating kids and parents about the issues related to bullying. This should include a formal process for referring kids, and families, to school officials and counselors who are trained to handle these situations.

We need to protect our children and make sure that their educational experience is rewarding and positive.