U.S. government aims to help end bullying

By Staff Writer

A study by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development estimated that 1.7 million U.S. children in grades six through 10 could be identified as bullies. The study found that 10.6 percent of students reported bullying others "sometimes" and 8.8 percent admitted to bullying others "once a week" or more, Montgomery Advertiser reports.

Bullying occurs most frequently between sixth and eighth grade, with little variation seen between urban, suburban and rural areas, according to the study.

In late October, the U.S. Department of Education issued guidance to help educators combat bullying in schools by clarifying when the behavior may violate federal education anti-discrimination laws. The White House and Department of Education also announced steps to address harassment in schools, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

In a study by the National Education Association, it was estimated that more than 160,000 children miss school each day due to fear of attack or intimidation by another student. It was also showed that 71 percent of students across the U.S. report that incidents of bullying are a problem in their own schools.