COMMENTARY: America's Schools Must Take Action to Minimize Bullying

Bullying has become a serious problem in the United States in recent years.

Bullying can be defined as repeated negative acts committed by one or more persons against another person. These acts can be physical or verbal -- such as hitting, teasing, and taunting -- or they can involve indirect actions, such as manipulating friendships or excluding a person from an activity.

Bullying occurs most frequently among students -- from kindergarten through high school -- since many students enjoy bullying other students. Students who bully others tend to have a need to display the power they possess -- either their physical strength or their social status.

Bullying usually has a negative impact on students, and has even resulted in suicide by bullying victims. Some of the reasons bullies use to "justify" their bullying include race, religion, ethnicity, and sexual orientation of their victims.

As a result of this pervading nationwide bullying, several states in America have passed -- or are in the process of passing -- ant-bullying laws. For example, New Jersey is in the process of passing an anti-bullying law that would require teachers, administrators, and school staff to receive bullying training.

The fact that more than a third of all U.S. students were bullied in 2009, indicates the severity of America's bullying crisis.

All the states in America should take the steps necessary to prevent -- or at least minimize -- bullying in our schools.

Principals should designate a staff member to whom students can report bullying. School administrators should be required to contact the parents or guardians of bullying students. Schools should take punitive action against students who bully other students.

By implementing the above and other pertinent rules, bullying can be reduced to a minimum -- perhaps even becoming a phenomenon of the past -- in America's schools.