I'm hearing the same thing over and over: Statewide anti-bullying programs are a joke.

[Smarmie Doofus]

4. Trickle down from the 'culture of compliance' that typifies most schools these days, I'll wager.

Politicians pass laws based on the most recent headlines so schools are swimming in mandates and directives about this, that and the other thing. Most of them impractical, many of them creating bigger problems than those they ostensibly address. My distinct impression is this: Everyone's just going through the motions. Again: a culture of compliance.

To actually combat bullying you need teachers that like kids and really want to BE THERE. That are INTO combating bullying. In other words, high quality teachers. The truth is it's getting harder and harder for people who feel this way about kids to stay in the system.