School should be a safe place, one where kids can concentrate on learning, not on staying alive. Sadly, however, that's not always the case. "If you're afraid you're going to get beat up after school, it's hard to concentrate when you're in algebra class," said David Kopperud of the California Department of Education. In 1998, the World Health Organization surveyed more than fifteen thousand sixth through tenth grade students and found that nearly a third had been involved in bullying.

There are serious consequences of bullying and not just for the students directly involved. The American Medical Association estimates that as many as 160,000 kids refuse to go to school each day because of bullying. The kids miss out on their education and the schools lose their funding. Further, kids can end up with problems that affect their relationships, self-esteem, and emotional well-being. The U.S. Secret Service found that three out of four school shooters were bullied.

These days, there's an added twist to the problem -- the internet. Bullying has become "more extreme, more humiliating and more public," according to Elayne Savage, a psychotherapist and author of "Don't Take It Personally: The Art of Dealing With Rejection." She sees the effects of bullying in her adult clients too. "You never forget the hurtful slurs and actions," she says.

Parents need to watch for signs of bullying and to take action if it's happening. "Parents need to protect their kids," says Savage. "If they don't, it's neglect. They can't just take the attitude that it's going to get better. They need to contact the school if it happens in school, and they need to be on the lookout for a change in behavior or signs of depression, which can indicate a child is being bullied. And they need to have a talk and tell their kids, 'If you feel unsafe, please come talk to us.' "

More than 25 states have laws against bullying in public schools with a dozen more including cyber-bullying in their legislation. Even so, schools are not always able to watch every child and are not always up on the latest technologies. They are also perpetually strapped for cash. "The schools have this duty to protect students," said education programs consultant Kopperud. "But there isn't a lot of money to do that."

That leaves the issue up to the parents who, after all, know their kids the best and are best equipped to watch for the signs of bullying. If something is going on, parents need to contact the school and, if necessary, the police. Children have the right to go to school in a safe and comforting environment; it's up to us to help make sure they get that right.