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Bullying, Harassment, Hazing

AP/Toby Talbot
John Halligan shows the Web page devoted to his son, Ryan, at his home in Underhill, Vt., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2007. Ryan Patrick Halligan killed himself at age 13, a death his father is certain was caused in part by vicious online bullying.

We hear a lot about bullying in schools these days- both physically and online. But what exactly constitutes bullying?

Are the mean girls in the bathroom the same as the guy who steals your lunch money? School administrators are tasked with figuring out whether student behavior constitutes bullying, harassment, or more run of the mill interpersonal conflicts. They're also responsible for investigating cyberbullying -which might happen at night or on the weekends. State laws help to define which behaviors require intervention and a new statewide advisory council helps to coordinate training and assessment.

We'll hear from two members of the state's Harassment, Hazing and Bullying Prevention Advisory Council: Tracey Tsugawa, of the Vermont Human Rights Commission,  and Ken Page, of the Vermont Principal's Association. We'll also hear from some principals around the state.

Here are a few anti-bullying videos made by local teens that we enjoyed watching.

Post your questions, comments, or stories about bullying here or email them to vermontedition@vpr.net.

Also on the program, we'll hear from filmmaker Eugene Jarecki on his new documentary about the war on drugs. 

Plus, how traditional crafts like basket weaving are being kept alive by modern practitioners.

One in five Vermonters is considered elderly. But what does being elderly even mean — and what do Vermonters need to know as they age? I’m looking into how aging in Vermont impacts living essentials such as jobs, health care and housing. And also how aging impacts the stuff of life: marriage, loss, dating and sex.
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