Bullying in Montana schools is not new but the problem is getting worse. Parents are desperately seeking guidance on what to do when their child is being bullied since "normal channels" don't seem to be working.

There's something already on the books called "Bully Free Montana" that provides rules, guidance, resources, and advice on what to do when your child is the target of bullying in school. Good start, but not nearly enough.

We've moved way beyond the old-school tough kid bullying of physical intimidation, shoving, and fighting. Today, bulling is not only more prevalent but far more dangerous because so much of it is online and often anonymous. Rumor mills have become brutal and relentless, destroying not only reputations but mental health. Ganging up on one child becomes a 24/7 affair.

Several Montana parents have banded together after not getting proper assistance or relief from school administrators. All of their kids have been the victim of bullying, and they're reaching out online to other parents about alternative solutions to protect their kids.

Switching schools or becoming home schooled is a common option, but that is certainly not a SOLUTION to the original problem. Bullies are being allowed to be bullies with few repercussions. It's certainly not fair to our kids and it's definitely not REALLY dealing with the issue. WHY?

Our kids are being bullied about anything and everything - size, shape, athletic ability, academic performance, who they're dating, who they're not dating, skin color, home life, income disparity, religion....anything you can think of. The things that kids are saying to each other online is terrifying.

So if the resources provided by our schools isn't nearly sufficient, what are the parents of bullied kids supposed to do? What are some solutions they can pursue that won't make the problem worse? Some of our Montana kids are REALLY suffering. We owe it to them to do better - where do we start?

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