Last week, the New York Times featured an op-ed on the topic of bullying, mentioning that even pop stars like Lady Gaga were once targets of such mistreatment. The events from adolescence spurred her on to form the Born This Way Foundation in hopes of empowering kids and helping to create a more nurturing environment both inside and outside of schools.

Bullying has been all over the news, especially with recent teen suicides by victims of abuse. And scholars and education experts are continuing to bring the issue of bullying to the forefront of media discussion since there’s now proven research that it can deter kids from learning in school.

A recent study from the University of Virginia has found that merely being a student at a school where bullying is prevalent can have academic consequences. The researchers found that schools with high levels of bullying were less likely to meet national requirements than schools with low levels of bullying.

The study definitely changes the way we look at our children’s learning environments. Even if our kids aren’t being directly affected by bullying at school—as a target, or as the bully—our kids can still be harmed by it. And academic progress won’t be the only thing affected. A study by a British psychologist found that just by witnessing bullying, people are put at risk of developing of mental health problems, like substance abuse.

As many schools struggle with raising test scores and losing funding from the government, perhaps the study will draw more of their attention to the often over-looked issue of bullying; it’s not just money on the line—it’s our children’s emotional, mental, psychological and physical well-being.  

As a parent, how does this news affect you? Do you think schools should begin to focus more attention on bullying in order to improve test scores? 

—Maricar Santos