Washington, D.C. — The fight to reduce bullying in our nation’s schools is not an easy one to win. But, the Department of Education says new data shows that it’s now at a record low.
This new studyshows that school-based bullying has seen its “first significant decrease” in nearly a decade.
According to statistics from the U.S. Department of Education, in 2013, the reported prevalence of bullying among students ages 12 to 18 dropped from 28% to 22% since 2005.
While a 6% decrease may not seem like much, that number of 28% has remained nearly unchanged since 2005.
Even with the good news of the drop, the 22% rate still means more than two out of every 10 students are being bullied at school. This doesn’t include the kids who don’t report bullying or who are being tormented away from school grounds.
Research shows that students who are bullied are more likely to abuse drugs, struggle in school and are at a higher risk of suicide.
More information can be found on StopBullying.Gov as well as it’s Facebook page.
