DR. WALLACE: I'm shocked that you advised a boy who was being picked on to fight back even if it meant that he would be suspended. I am a counselor at a high school and I can tell you that having a suspension on his cumulative records could cause him to have trouble getting into the college or university of his choice.

When a student is picked on, he or she should just walk away. Eventually the harassment will stop. You, being a former educator, should realize that fighting never solves anything; it only makes matters worse. — Counselor, Newark, N.J.

COUNSELOR: The boy was being physically abused on campus, walked away, and still the harassment and physical abuse continued. He then went to his counselor who informed him that "boys will be boys" and again, told him to "just walk away." Knowing that he had already walked down that lonesome road, the boy went to the principal and asked for help. He was promised that the problem would end immediately.

It didn't! And that's when the boy contacted me. I told him to defend himself the next time he was physically abused by a bully. Bullies are basically cowards, and when a bully suffers a "bloody nose" the harassment usually ends.

Trust me, a suspension is worth the peace of mind that will be forthcoming. I was also a high school administrator in Southern California and did all in my power to curb the cowardly acts of bullies. I never told a victim to just walk away. Bullies enjoy hearing this type of advice. Administrators, and yes, counselors, who use the "just walk away" advice that is given to the victim, are using the easy and highly ineffective solution to a serious student problem.

Victims of bullies suffer both physically and mentally, and that's why bullying must be eliminated from all schools. It can be severely curtailed if the school administrators issue swift and effective punishment to the bully. A parent must be required to attend a conference with the principal so he/she can understand why the punishment was given and what the discipline will be if another incident of bullying occurs.

Every student attending school, be it public or private, deserves the right to a safe school environment where learning can be an enjoyable and exciting adventure. For those students who suffer at the hands of a bully, attending school is a living nightmare, and school administrators who turn a "blind eye" to this type of behavior are failing in their role as educators.

It's obvious that you were never bullied when attending school.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. E-mail him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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