Applewhite posted:

Bullying is wrong, but I think Zero Tolerance anti-bullying programs marginalize troubled children and also teach non-bullies that the best way to deal with conflict is to have anyone who picks on you silenced by the establishment.

We need to put more money into education so that teachers have the training and motivation to spend time with their students and work through their issues, be they bully or victim, so that children can learn conflict resolution and also that sometimes you just need to suck it up and learn to accept that teasing is a part of life.

Serious bullying where people actually get hurt needs to be handled swiftly and decisively, but if a bully situation has come to blows then the system has already failed both children.