ALEXANDER CITY, AL (WSFA) -
One county in our area is using this last week of summer break to focus on a major problem in our schools. In recent years, bullying has driven some students at least two suicides in Alabama. So Monday night, law enforcement in Tallapoosa County talked with students and parents about ways to prevent bullying.
"We're trying a more proactive approach instead of reactive," said Lt. Bill Hough, Chief Investigator and Training Officer for the Tallapoosa County Sheriff's Department. "We're giving the kids alternatives, things that they can do: to tell a friend, to tell a parent to tell a trusted adult."
Hough says cyber-bullying remains a big problem, and it's one that experts say can have a wide-ranging impact.
That's one of the big distinctions between bullying and cyber-bullying," said Gary Warner, a Cyber Expert at UAB. "If you're being bullied in the lunchroom or on the school bus, that's an event that has a short duration for a short time. Cyber-bullying--if you're awake and your electronic device is on, you can be a victim of cyber-bullying."
While Monday's forum focused on parents and students, Lt. Hough will be in Montgomery on Tuesday, to discuss this issue with law enforcement throughout our region. They plan to keep a focus on this issue throughout the school year.
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