We R 3C™ Character Education Program featured on Fox regarding a bullying incident in Kaukauna, Wisconsin.

A Closer Look: Combating bullying
Updated: Friday, 29 Mar 2013, 5:15 PM CDT
Published : Friday, 29 Mar 2013, 4:23 PM CDT

Originally posted on : http://www.fox11online.com/

Laura Smith, FOX 11 News
On the heels of an alleged bullying incident at Kaukauna’s River View Middle School, experts are speaking out about what can be done to prevent an issue they say is on the rise.

“A substantial amount of young people have said that they’ve been bullied,” said psychologist Frank Cummings.

They say it begins with education, and not just in the schools.

“Everybody needs to learn some virtues, some morals and a lot of that really does come from the home,” said Cummings.

Psychologists say the most important thing for parents is teach their children helpful problem solving behaviors.

“So if you believe that your child is being bullied, it’s not really helpful to go out and bully the community or bully the school, but is to work together to solve the problem,” said Cummings.

Those behind non-profit We R 3C, which is aimed at character education, agree. They say it’s vital to teach skills that help avoid bullying behaviors in children.

“When people have a personal relationship when they learn how to listen to one another, when they learn how to communicate with one another a lot of these things are avoided,” said Bart Dentino, founder of We R 3C.

Dentino adds when incidents do pop up, bullies need help just as much as those who are victims of bullying, and community members can help with the healing.

“So rather than the knee jerk reaction being a response of either aggression or punishment, or whatever, the response we teach is that the response should be a knee jerk of offering understanding, compassion and empathy,” said Dentino.

Experts add one challenge is the lack of a good definition of bullying. That makes it difficult to identify and therefore difficult to research.