County-wide bullying hotline?

Be sure to read Mary Fox's Letter to the Editor in today's Northwest Herald. She writes about bullying, mean-spiritedness and violence.

What McHenry County needs is a county-wide hotline for reports of bullying.

It wouldn't have to be a manned hotline, although messages should be collected at least daily. Bullying is usually an ongoing problem that doesn't require emergency action. It's certainly important, but often not urgent. Any urgent or emergency need should be reported to police and the school district office, then reported to the hotline.

Non-emergency reports could be made to the hotline, where volunteers could work with the bullied student and parents to guide them through the reporting process and to help them get corrective action.

A hotline would reduce the possibility that school personnel would attempt to diminish the importance of reported bullying. A hotline would also help identify schools with problems that are not being addressed. School personnel are not likely to tell a student or parent that others are also reporting bullying.

Students and parents: what do you think? Is it time for a bullying hotline in McHenry County?