"You'll just have to learn to protect yourself," one principal told a bloody-nosed victim.

A vice-principal told a complaining mother, "The incident didn't happen on school grounds so it's your concern, why don't you tell the police?" The "incident" of no concern to the school was a threat that if the student returned to school, they (the bullies) would "get him" with a knife or gun!

In school policies about bullying, a prejudice against children often inhibits support and intervention when it is needed most. Can you imagine a store manager telling a bleeding employee attacked by another employee, "You'll just have to learn to protect yourself!"?

Often I can not help but think the school staff are just as frightened as the victim -- of the bully or the bully's parents. So they duck the issue with, "Not my problem." Victims are hesitant to complain because they know that support is not likely, and staff are hesitant to take action because they are not sure that administrators will support them.

This problem requires a statement right from the top. All citizens deserve protection from the mean, troubled, and evil. No person of any age should have to live in fear of attack every day. School superintendents should assure principals and teachers that they will be supported vigorously.

Until that happens in every county, kids will be hiding out in school and losing out on their education while they try to stay out of harm's way. "If I don't go to the bathroom (gym, school bus, recess, or lunch room), I can avoid Billy (or Beth) Bully for another day. In addition to the hide-and-seek solution, the Department of Education estimates 160,000 students nationwide stay home every day to avoid bullys.

Help the victims. The best deterrent is an adult in authority confronting the bully. Those teachers and principals deserve your support. Some children need special practice learning how to talk firm, walk tall, look a tormentor in the eye and say loudly, "Back off!" As city police often tell us, some people need to practice how to avoid looking and acting like a victim.

Also help the bullys. They, too, are missing out on their education while their attention is on confronting, fighting, and abusing.

They will soon be out of school with minimal social skills and the mistaken notion that abusing others is acceptable. They need redirection. Many of our community problems will come from these misdirected students if their behavior at school is tolerated.

At the moment they are destined to be the next generation of abusers. From their unhappy ranks will come the child abuse, spousal abuse, road rage, and "life rage" of the next decades.

Let's help them now while they are in school and teachers and staff have an influence.