The topic of bullying is important to educators in order to protect and create a safe environment for their students. In the articles that relate to this post, one of the biggest concerns mentioned is cyber-bullying. In the past, cyber-bullying that was done outside of the classroom was legally out of the schools ability to apprehend a student or discipline them in any way. Now the law is set up where any school that receives state funding is required by law to maintain and follow a policy that includes the several components such as: the definition of bullying, purpose, scope, and prohibited behavior (“Stopbullying.gov, 2017). 

In the article that I accessed via the Angelo State library, it discusses whether or not schools are effectively implementing said laws and guidelines and if the laws set in place are working to reduce the effect of bullying.  The study conducted in the article found that only 11-13% of schools follow the guidelines correctly and that many forms of bullying are overlooked. In relation to this topic and working as a future counselor, it is imperative that these bullying guidelines are implemented and strictly adhered to by all staff and administration in order to protect the safety of all students. Counselors must get the proper training to understand what laws are in place for all forms of bullying. Many situations can arise at any given time and a school must protect themselves.

Resources
Stopbullying.gov. 2017. Texas anti-bullying laws and policies. Retrieved from http://www.stopbullying.gov/laws/texas/index.html

Sabia, J., & Bass, B. (2017). Do anti-bullying laws work? New evidence on school safety and youth violence. Journal Of Population Economics, 30(2), 473-502. doi:10.1007/s00148-016-0622-z