“Children cannot thrive in an environment of fear. Ultimately all children are affected when bully-victim problems go unaddressed. The victims feel humiliated, fearful, and some are physically tormented and hurt. The silent majority of children, those who stand by and watch, are affected as well. Some are secretly afraid of being targeted themselves; others are left feeling guilty and remorseful for not protecting the victimized children. The bullies also come out as losers. Research has found that a boy who is a bully at age eight is three times more likely to be convicted of a crime by age thirty and less likely than others to finish college and locate a good job. Girls who bully are more likely to raise children who bully. Parents and schools together can stop this cycle by providing a safe, nurturing school environment for all children.” – Karen DeBord, Ph.D., & Stephanie Moore

“Bullying cannot be dealt with by legislation – especially when legislators run on tickets that tout prejudice. To make a difference, we must nurture all children and model empathy and acceptance. We must empower them to deal with bullying and hold accountable those whose cruelty robs a human being not only of joy, but of life itself.” – Pediatrician Avril Beckford, former president of the Georgia chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, who also lost her son to a bullying suicide (quoted in Beckford, 2010)

 “All of this ‘picking on’ and bullying that the kids describe often takes place in schools where there are banners and posters all over the school and in each classroom denouncing it. We have to recognize that anti-bullying programs and slogans are no substitute for changes in the underlying school culture and social environment.” – James Garbarino & Ellen deLara (2002, pp. 71-72)

 “Almost every day in my pediatric practice, I see at least one child who has been bullied. Cyber-bullying is sucking the life from the children who are its victims. Those who are gay or different are especially vulnerable.” – Pediatrician Avril Beckford (2010)

“Don’t be a bully. Whether the victim is Bruce Jenner or someone in your office, stand up for them. If enough people speak out, the bully becomes the isolated one.”   – Comedian James Corden