That's what McNair Elementary in Hazelwood, Mo., attempts to do. Victims fill out a form describing the incident to a teacher or counselor. The issue is taken to peer mediation, and the offender is encouraged to sign an agreement not to bully. The younger children, for instance, are coached in how to walk confidently past older kids who are talking aggressively. The latter choice wins praise for the kids.
Bullying is often performance art.
The theater can't take place if there's no audience. Parents and students sign contracts at the beginning of the year stipulating that no child may be put down for academic performance, appearance, family composition or gender, among other things. While the Seeds program involves parents, many others don't. Sometimes parents need to be educated. Luckily, the school principal found the weapons in the kids' knapsacks before any harm was done.