This blog is brilliantly written. It deserves great attention, because it is important. It is well researched and well organized. I do have one suggestion: The role of adults in a school is underestimated. They are not hapless bystanders. They do a good deal to set the tone for tolerating bullying or not.
I taught in a school for emotionally handicapped adolescents. The more fragile students would ask to be put in my class, even if they had satisfied all the requirements in that subject area. They reported that they felt "safe" in my room. I believe that was because I tolerated no sign of aggressive behavior, neither by gesture nor through speech. I didn't openly defend the victim, I just put offenders on notice that their behavior was not acceptable. I did not see this vigilance among most other teachers. Sometimes I think there is a reluctance to challenge the stronger, more aggressive student because that aggression can be directed toward the teacher.
The key to preventing bullying is to be in control of the class, not just the subject matter, but all elements of the classroom. We mandate that children go to school, therefore we must insure that the environment we place them in is not just safe, but comfortable. This responsibility extends to administration. Administrators have to make clear to staff that bullying prevention is a priority and not just a campaign that gets lip service.
Agmoore thanks for your input. I think there are also situations in which a teacher or other adult is not present. This is when peers need to step in to stop bullying. This is what I was trying to address in my paper.