The academic achievement of students attending small schools is comparable to or better than that of students in large schools. In addition students enrolled in small schools have higher levels of participation in extracurricular activities and they are active in a greater number of these activities than are their peers in large schools. The Woodstock, Ga, teen, had been systematically abused by school bullies since elementary school. Death was the only relief he could imagine. It's an imbalance of power, sustained over a period of time.
Bullying remains for the most part unacknowledged, underreported, and minimized by schools.
Adults are unaware of the extent and nature of the problem, says Wellesley College bullying expert Nancy Mullin-Rindler. Chuck Saufler, who heads a research group called Maine Project Against Bullying, says the anti-bullying programs that work the best are comprehensive and involve everyone in the school and the community. Efforts to deal with bullying will be ineffective unless the school board and administrators are involved. These are the children who can stop bullies by letting them know that behavior isn't acceptable and by not joining in to tease victims. A sidebar gives resources on anti-bullying programs.