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At Octorara School District, they've had an anti-bullying program in place for three years, with Elizabeth Landis as the program's coordinator. The results are subjective.
A few weeks ago, the Post Ledger was contacted by a parent who said they were afraid to send their daughter to school because of repeated incidents of harassment-type bullying-and she doesn't feel the school is doing enough, or much of anything, to protect her.
"She's had water dumped on her, her lunch thrown at her," said Sue. (Editor's note: Sue asked that her last name not be used for fear of retaliation to her daughter.) "Most of it has been verbal, screaming."
Sue even contacted the police, which, she said, has made the instigators of the bullying "really mad, because we've taken it this far."
They've called her daughter at home and have threatened to kill her.
She has contemplated taking her daughter out of Octorara, but if she home-schools her, her daughter would lose half her credits. And, she doesn't feel she should have to pay to send her daughter to private school just because the officials at Octorara can't protect her.
Acting-Superintendent Tom Newcome said that bullying "is a complex issue," and often not one-sided.
While not revealing the specifics of the incidents, Newcome said he has spoken with Sue at length regarding the problem. He said while disciplinary measures have been taken against the instigators, "most of her issues have been outside the school" either through phone calls at work or on her cell phone.
However, in school, they've increased staffing in the hallways during class breaks and in the lunchroom, said Newcome.
Since the program began three years ago, the number of reported incidents of bullying has increased, said Newcome, because people understand better what bullying is.
"Realistically, we're never going to eliminate bullying from the schools," said Newcome.
But, he said he doesn't advocate keeping children home from school because of the bullying.
"Statistically, (the student) is safer at Octorara over going to any place in public," he said.
Newcome said it's important for the students to report the incidents when they are happening and how they are happening and work with school administrators. "What happens is that things aren't reported until there's a flash point," he said. And, there are as many safeguards for the "guilty" as there is for the victim.
While Octorara's program mostly targets middle-school aged children-typically when the bullying begins or occurs-Sue's daughter is in high school.
Sandy Hoff, guidance counselor at the high school, said they have called Landis in to help when incidents of bullying have come before them.
"How well the program is working would depend on whom you ask," said Newcome. "There are some students who will say it helped tremendously, but I'm sure there's also students who don't feel it helped at all."
