All school violence begins with bullying.
Serious school violence starts with seemingly innocent bullying or put-downs that eventually escalates into violence involving guns or knives. The lack of respect for another person s human rights, the most common factor in all criminal behaviors, begins with school bullying. Schools are a breeding ground for this criminal behavior and pose a serious threat to the public safety if not addressed when it first appears. It is possible to identify bullying behavior as early as pre-school or kindergarten. Schools can tell who the bullies are by the sixth week of the school year.