The girl bully thing sure isn't new. In fact, I'd venture to say that boys can often be a lot more "live and let live" than girls.

When I was a studious middle-schooler scurrying onto the crowded high school bus to get a seat, some older girl decided that I was stuck-up because, completely unbeknownst to me, her older brother and his friends thought I was cute. She and her friends made the bus ride miserable for me with whispered comments, furtive shoves that knocked my books out of my hands, and, ultimately, a big wad of gum stuck in my hair. (Thankfully, her plan was defeated when the gum didn't have to be cut out.)

The problem cleared up eventually...when the girl graduated a year or so later.

I'd like to see "Mean Girls", although I think there are actually two types of girls who prey on other girls. There are the ones at the top of the social heap who want to maintain their status, and then there are the complete losers who want to make life miserable for anyone they think has it better than they do.

I also wanted to add that there is a whole lot of "mind reading" going on when girls pick on other girls. Sometimes, the intended victim actually has intentionally done something to "dis" the bully; however, in many cases, the beginning of the bullying is just a lot of projection and machinations of the bully's mind.

"She thinks she's so..." is a very common rallying comment of bullies, often to the total surprise of the person being discussed, who was merely going about her own business, not thinking she was "so" anything.

It's not unheard of to hear of a girl being "hated" by other girls whose names she does not even know. Once the games begin, however, the bully and pals can take a primary place in the victim's consciousness, as she learns to plan her activities and demeanor to minimize the harassment.

It might be beneficial to provide assertiveness training to students. Parents can be more forth coming to dialogue with their children to see what is happening in their daily lives. Then they might be viewed as a refuge in case problems develop for a student.

I was brought up to be non-confrontational and more passive while passing through society. When I met up with a girl bully in high school I was surprised and shocked with her behavior towards me. I had no fall back models. I changed my behavior to intentionally hang around larger assertive girls for protection. I do not remember going to my parents for help or support. I did not even consider this to be an option. Later I forced myself to visit the principal's office to report the offender's behavior. This was not an easy choice for me. I thought my problem was too small for any adult to care about. He talked to the student and she no longer bothered with me to my pleasant surprise.

Justshare - that describes a "perfect world" which we are not in . Nowadays so many parents cannot control their children and many seem to encourage their behavior. Kids today do not have many role models to speak into their lives. Peer pressure "to belong" supercedes common decency and respect in both schools and the workplace.

"Children learn by what they live".

Most schools these days have bully prevention programs.

Are parents out there really telling their children to punch others back if they punch them? That is what kids use as their excuse most often when asked wny they got into a fight. Where is the middle ground?

Parents do you really say that to your children?