KATV Channel 7 - The Spirit of Arkansas: The President and Bullying

The issue of bullying is moving beyond the school house and up to the White House.  It is such a prominent issue facing school children today that President Obama recently hosted a conference to discuss the damage caused by bullying.  President Obama says it is personally an important topic for him because he, himself remembers being bullied as a child.  He says it is important to dispel the myth that bullying is just a part of growing up, because it definitely does not have to be.  Experts say parents, students, and teachers need to focus their attention on empathy and responsibility.  They say there needs to be a movement from a culture of cruelty to a culture of caring.  They also say that is something each person, young and old can work to achieve.  School safety doesn't just mean that a school is safe from an attack or from violence.  School safety means that the environment is an emotionally safe place for kids to grow and to learn.  Bullying can start in the early ages of elementary school and experts say parents should always be on the lookout for the signs of bullying in their children.