Schools wary of over-regulation on bullying issue

SCHOOLS need to constantly update their own behaviour rules to discourage and punish bullying, but are wary of over-regulation by Government on the issue, a second-level schools organisation said.

The parents of a Cork teenager whose suicide three years ago was linked to bullying at school claimed at the weekend that the Government should do more to tackle the problem.

Colette Wolfe, whose daughter Leanne died in March 2007, said similar action should be taken to that in Massachusetts, where Irish teenager Phoebe Prince’s suicide has prompted new laws that prohibit bullying on school property.